Transformers Prime: Sparkless
by Butter Scotch Lolly
Summary: It is said that the Spark, is what defines a Cybertronian, and that the past, has a way of creeping into the present. Primus works in strange ways, and when two bots, who many thought died, return, the revival of Cybertron hasn't been more clear. {Contains OCs, that change the overall story, while also going with the original plot-line of TFP, minor to major changes to plot.}
1. TFP: Sparkless Ch1: Distress

TAKES PLACE BEFORE THE EPISODE "Flying Mind", basically before Starscream's clones planned to kill Megatron.

 **Disclaimer** **:** _I do not own any of the Transformers characters in the TFP series, nor do I claim ownership of any_ _kind towards anything trademarked. This story is just for fun, and isn't connected towards the true lore behind the franchise. The only things I own are the OCs._

 **Author's Note:** _I'm a very huge fan of the Transformers franchise, and my absolute favorite series is Transformers Prime. I mean I can watch the whole series any freaking time that I want! I've already watched it 5 times on Netflix, and that's not counting the other times I've watched it on the HUB... sadly when the HUB died, I figured that was the end of this series being on TV, and I was right. Also, I wasn't at all satisfied with Robots in Disguise, to me it was a sad reminder that a good series always was a terrible follow up series... it's just bound to happen... So here I am typing up a story that I've been sitting on for a VERY long time, I have been avoiding publishing this since the series ended in 2013... yeah I had the whole thing in a notebook that I kept with me, and I gotta say I've still got a ton of grammar mistakes that need to be adjusted. So yes the story is 100% completed, all I gotta do is type up the whole thing, and post it here. Also to address, if the format looks weird, it's because I use Google docs, and refuse to purchase dis stupid Office, cuz I'm cheap and like free things._

 _ **also to note:** this story does contain OCs, and a complete story change... yes I actually re-wrote the story, and that also means I changed the past, leading up to this point. You'll soon find out what I changed, and how some parts actually reflect other Transformer's series, and comic books. I mean, I've read some of the comic books, and I'm vaguely familiar with the real cannon lore, but I kinda scrapped all that and made my own, by using those stories as inspiration fuel. Huehuehue please don't hate me because I re-wrote the story to my liking... yeah...whelp I won't keep you reading my random words anymore... just go and read the story... (O_o)_

 **Summary:  
** _It is said that the spark is what defines a Cybertronian. It is the personality, it is who they are, what they are, and what creates the feelings that they have for each other. But, what if you were to revive a spark? Would the bot you brought back to life, still be the same, or would they become a completely different entity? That is a mystery all on it's own, and a mystery no one can explain._

* * *

 **Chapter 1: Distress**

A storm looms in the sky outside the Nemesis, giving the warship a menacing silhouette in the clouds. The entryway to the Nemesis' command deck automatic doors opened, with a visst, as a large gunmetal grey mech walks through, his glowing red optics looking around at all the busy Eradicons.

"Soundwave, you asked for my presence? Does this meeting have to deal with the location of the Iacon relics?", Megatron asked in his searing voice, Soundwave simply shook his helm, displaying an image on his visor, an image of a beacon's frequency.

"I see that you've discovered a Decepticon emergency beacon on this planet's moon? Why hasn't this been discovered until now?", Megatron asked suspiciously.

Soundwave turned around and on the overhead display, a larger image of the beacon in red, contrasting against the displays purple toned background.

Megatron raised an optic ridge, "Hmm I see, thank you Soundwave for clearing up this disturbance. So the beacon wasn't active until now, but the question is… why?", Megatron just looked at the display, a servo on his chin.

"This could be an elaborate hoax, set up by some unknown assailant to deceive us, nonetheless that is a Decepticon distress beacon. We better investigate before the Autobots detect the signal as well.", Megatron turned around, walking towards the large doorway exiting the command room, but before he left he spoke out loud towards his communication chief.

"Soundwave, set the Nemesis' course towards the moon, and meet me on the flight deck.", Megatron ordered, "Also would you notify Dreadwing, for this is a more pressing matter, than supervising an energon mine.", he stated, as the door closed behind him, leaving Soundwave to himself.

* * *

 _ **{Meanwhile- Autobot base}**_

The it was an average Saturday evening, at the Autobot base. Ratchet was experimenting on something in the corner of the base, Arcee and Bulkhead were out for recon, Optimus was in his office researching more about the Iacon relics, and Raf, Miko, Jack, and Bumblebee were watching the Aliens movie.

*beee weee eeekk!*, Bumblebee buzzed ducking behind the couch, the kids were sitting on.

"Whoa Bee! It's just movie!", Raf said surprised.

"Uh yeah, don't worry Bumblebee those aliens aren't even real.", Jack reassured, giving Bumblebee a smile, but just as he was about to calm down,

"Or are they!?", Miko jumped up, "Not too long ago we thought giant robots were only an anime thing, maybe they're actually real! Who knows! Those Xenos could be crawling right under our noses!", Miko exclaimed, making spooky ghost noises.

Bumblebee's back doors drooped, his blue optics grew wide and dim of fear, it was as if he's yellow color began to pale. That moment, before Jack and Raf could tell Miko to stop scaring the young scout, with ridiculous stories, the Autobots com link when off.

"PRIME!", Agent Fowler's signature line, blared through the quiet base, making not only Bumblebee jump in fear, but Miko as well, who slipped and fell onto her back. Ratchet who was the only calm one there, walked passed the young scout and the children with a scoff, and activated the com.

"Yes Agent Fowler, what is your urgent news?", Ratchet asked, while Optimus walked into the main part of the base, looking around unamused.

"I've been given word that a massive alien warship has been spotted, near a close proximity of the National Space Station.", Fowler informed.

"Where is its exact location in your orbit?", Optimus asked.

"Well Prime, the Space Station is orbiting close to the moon, but the people who run the Pentagon, aren't fond of anything obstructing its orbit, neither is NASA.", Fowler informed.

"Pish posh! What would the Decepticons want in your primitive space-", before Ratchet could finish his sentence, a ping showed up on the global radar. Ratchet's optics grew wide, as he pinpointed the signal to be coming from Earth's moon.

"Impossible…", Ratchet began.

"A Cybertronian distress beacon… of Decepticon origins.", Optimus remarked, glaring at the signal.

"Uh Earth to Prime! What's going on over there?", Agent Fowler asked.

"Agent Fowler, it seems that the Decepticons have no interest in your Space Station, but rather a distress beacon, that resonates from your Earth's moon.", Optimus foretold, causing the kids, Bumblebee, and Agent Fowler to stop what they were doing, and look at him with interest.

"No way… more Decepticons…", Raf gasped.

"That's bad right?", Jack asked.

"No duh Jack.", Miko said sarcastically.

Agent Fowler, on his end, just looked flabbergasted, the news causing him to rub his forehead, "Is there anything that you can do to stop the Cons from getting anywhere near that beacon?", Agent Fowler asked.

"Unfortunately Agent Fowler, our ground bridge still has substantial damage from the scraplet infestation, and attempting to jump that far into your orbit may cause a serious malfunction in the bridge's mainframe. Not even supercharging it to max proficiency, can mend the issue.", Ratchet said solemnly.

"Then what are we going to do about the Cons, let them moon dance on the moon, while we're here, in the nose bleed, watching the show?", Agent Fowler asked, at bit uneasy.

"Sadly Agent Fowler, it seems as if we're just going to have to endure the outcome. We have no means of apprehending the Decepticons, nor do we possess a reliable transport to safety intercept the Nemesis.", Optimus admitted, "However the outcome we will try our best to keep your fellow humans away from harm.", Optimus reassured.

"I hope you're right Prime, if the Cons expands their ranks, I pray by the star spangled banner, that you can handle the new workload, Fowler out.", Agent Fowler stated with a slight growl to his voice, making Optimus look to the side as if second guessing himself.

Ratchet turned around to face the Prime, his optics glowing a dimmed blue, "What are we going to do Optimus? Who knows what kind of artifacts or weapons or whatever that beacon leads to, we could possibly be so vastly outnumbered that Megatron will have all the resources he needs to conquer this planet, within a mega cycle.", Ratchet shuddered, putting a servo over his faceplate.

Optimus put servo on Ratchet's shoulder, "Ratchet, my old friend, I know that receiving this bad news has caused you, and those affected by it, great concern…", Optimus paused, to only look at the Bumblebee and the kids, whose faces showed that of fear. "Whatever the outcome, I swear that I will protect every last one of you… even if that means the extinguishment of my spark.", Optimus spoke solemnly, walking away back to his office, leaving everyone in a shroud of silence.

 _[doo dee doo!]_

The Autobots coms went off, causing everyone to jump literally out of their skins/metal, "Arcee to base, Bulk and I are heading back from recon.", Arcee informed, but nobody dared to move.

"Hello? Anyone there?", Arcee asked, with a ting of concern in her voice.

Ratchet who was still dazed, shook his helm, turning around to face the monitors, "Apologies about that Arcee, do you require a ground bridge?", Ratchet sighed, but before Arcee could answer, they heard the sound of engines echo down the entrance way.

Both Blue femme and green mech, transformed and walked to the center of the base, "What's going on around here?", Bulkhead asked, walking over to Miko who's always happy face, was more depressed than ever.

"Ratchet? What's going on?", Arcee looked around, "And why do all of you look as if something bad happened…", Arcee has her servos on her hips, looking at Ratchet who was a loss for words. "Well?", she persisted.

"Arcee…", Jack spoke up, "This may be a little hard to take in…", Jack said nervously, making Arcee and Bulkhead raise an optic ridge.

* * *

 _ **{Meanwhile- Decepticons}  
**_

Megatron stood still, with his arms behind his back, staring at the moon, as the Nemesis got adjusted to the orbit. The artificial atmosphere that surrounded the warship, allowed Megatron to hear the sound of Soundwave's pedes, as he walked across the flight deck.

"Ah Soundwave, glad you made it.", Megatron greeted, still staring at the moon, "You have the exact coordinates of the beacon's location?", Megatron asked, not even looking at Soundwave, who simply nodded his head.

"Good, let's waste no time, and investigate shall we?", Megatron beseeched, transforming into his Cybertronian jet alt mode, then flying off with Soundwave by his side.

* * *

 _ **{Meanwhile- Autobots}**_

Arcee and Bulkhead sat down slumped over, on some crates, as they absorbed the information given to them. Arcee was shaking her helm, while Bulk stared off as if thinking.

"Hold up, why give up now? Yeah the ground bridge can't take us to the moon, but you guys forgot one factor!", Bulkhead said with a tinge of bewilderment.

"And what would that be Bulk? It's not like we have a spare transport ship lying around.", Arcee scolded.

"But we do have a ship! The Jack Hammer!", Bulkhead exclaimed.

"Wheeljack!", Miko popped up from her seat, her eyes glistening.

"Yeah that old 'Con crusher can definitely take us to the moon, and stop Megatron!", Bulkhead said with glee.

Ratchet looked to the side, grumbling at the fact that he'd have to deal with Wheeljack's recklessness… again… but he knew that Wheeljack might be the Autobots last hope in apprehending the Decepticons.

Ratchet sighed, "Bulkhead… give him a call, I'll go have a word with Optimus…", Ratchet hesitated, moving away from the console, and beckoned the green wrecker over.

With a fist pump, Bulkhead walked over to the console, typed in commands, and the screen then displayed an image of the infamous Wrecker, as it sent out the call.

"Yell'o!?", Wheeljack's voice came through.

"Jackie!", Bulkhead greeted.

"Bulkhead! How's it going partner? What's up with the unexpected call?", Wheeljack questioned.

"We need a ride, the 'Cons are headed to the moon, to answer a Decepticon distress signal and-…", Bulkhead informed, before he was cut off,

"-and you don't want them to find out what it leads to, I get, I get! The Jackhammer is ready to fly… but this begs the question… what's wrong with your bridge? Don't tell me ol' Doc Bot hasn't fixed it yet?", Wheeljack mocked, devilishly grinning on his end, waiting for a response, but nothing.

"Uh… hello?", Wheejack asked, "Anyone there?", he asked again, nervous this time.

"Wheeljack.", Optimus' iconic voice announced through the com-link, causing the wrecker to frown.

"I've been given word that you are willing to provide transport for the team, transmit your coordinates for a ground bridge, and prepare for take off.", the Prime informed, and with that followed silence.

"Well Scrap…", Wheeljack sighed, getting up from his seat, and exiting his ship, to await team Prime's ground bridge.

* * *

 _I know that the first chapter was kinda... well it's frackin' short... I could've combined this chapter with the second, but I chose to keep it the way it originally wrote it. Other than that, I thank you for reading this, hopefully the second chapter is up by the time you guys read this, if not I probably have no clue how to 'update' it... so please leave a comment on what you think. Other than that, **Thanks for reading!** \_(^o^)/

ps... I like cliffhangers... don't hate me...

pss... I was super terrified posting this, cuz I kinda have my doubts... I know that I said that this story is 100% done, but all of these edits, and all of these grammar fixes... please don't hate me if it takes me a long time to update.


	2. TFP: Sparkless Ch2: Eons

**Disclaimer** **:** _I do not own any of the Transformers characters in the TFP series, nor do I claim ownership of any_ _kind towards anything trademarked. This story is just for fun, and isn't connected towards the true lore behind the franchise. The only things I own are the OCs._

 **Author's Note:** _I'm a very huge fan of the Transformers franchise, and my absolute favorite series is Transformers Prime. I mean I can watch the whole series any freaking time that I want! I've already watched it 5 times on Netflix, and that's not counting the other times I've watched it on the HUB... sadly when the HUB died, I figured that was the end of this series being on TV, and I was right. Also, I wasn't at all satisfied with Robots in Disguise, to me it was a sad reminder that a good series always was a terrible follow up series... it's just bound to happen... So here I am typing up a story that I've been sitting on for a VERY long time, I have been avoiding publishing this since the series ended in 2013... yeah I had the whole thing in a notebook that I kept with me, and I gotta say I've still got a ton of grammar mistakes that need to be adjusted. So yes the story is 100% completed, all I gotta do is type up the whole thing, and post it here. Also to address, if the format looks weird, it's because I use Google docs, and refuse to purchase dis stupid Office, cuz I'm cheap and like free things._

 _ **also to note:** this story does contain OCs, and a complete story change... yes I actually re-wrote the story, and that also means I changed the past, leading up to this point. You'll soon find out what I changed, and how some parts actually reflect other Transformer's series, and comic books. I mean, I've read some of the comic books, and I'm vaguely familiar with the real cannon lore, but I kinda scrapped all that and made my own, by using those stories as inspiration fuel. Huehuehue please don't hate me because I re-wrote the story to my liking... yeah...whelp I won't keep you reading my random words anymore... just go and read the story... (O_o)_

 **Summary:  
** _It is said that the spark is what defines a Cybertronian. It is the personality, it is who they are, what they are, and what creates the feelings that they have for each other. But, what if you were to revive a spark? Would the bot you brought back to life, still be the same, or would they become a completely different entity? That is a mystery all on it's own, and a mystery no one can explain._

 _ **An Update note:** BTW I do support the idea that Knock-Out and Breakdown are a couple, well in Transformer's language they would be a Conjux... Just saying. I love the idea and I loved how the most unlikely of pairs, were teamed up in the TFP series... and if you haven't read the comic yet... it's call "Transformers: Till all are one", and there is a scene where they drive off together ;)_

* * *

 **Chapter 2: Eons**

The silence of space filled the void of the dusty moon's surface, everything looked the same, from the grey dirt, to the grey rocks, except for one thing. Buried mostly in rocks and debris, lie a black and purple wartime Deception deep space stasis transport vessel, still in tact after all these eons of being lost to the cosmos. Megatron and Soundwave, made their landing near the vessel, both cons picking up dust as they landed. Scanning the area with his blood red optics, Megatron made his way towards the downed ship, placing a servo on the hull, the ship suddenly vibrated, as if detecting his presence. Backing up a bit, the part of the ship he touched started glowing a vibrant purple, then the metal in that area opened up like a collapsing door.

With a grin, Megatron stepped in, Soundwave following in suit. Once inside the door formed back behind them, leaving them in pure darkness, the only things visible were Megatron's optics and Soundwave's neon purple accents. However, just before Megatron was about to say something, the sound of a power up echoed through the ship, Megatron raised an optic ridge, as the lights slowing came online. The faint purple tinted lighting, revealed that they were standing in what seemed to be a medical bay, that also served as a science laboratory, due to all the flasks and depleted energon cubes.  
Looking around, Megatron was intrigued on what kind of science he was looking at, there where many Cybertronian parts lying around, many that would serve useful to his cause, that included optics, t-cogs, spare limbs, and the oh so impractical assortment of paints. However, there was one thing that caught his attention, and he instantly knew what it was, and who was responsible for this type of technology.

"Soundwave.", Megatron began, "Contact the good doctor will you? Something has come to my attention, and I think he might be the expert we need in unravel this medical marvel.", Megatron ordered, as Soundwave only responded with a simple nod.

* * *

 _ **{The Nemesis}**_

A low buzzing sound can be hear emanating from the medical bay, as Knock-Out, the Decepticon's primary and only Doctor, tried to buff his finish.

"Arghhhhh!", the red con grunted, "If only Breakdown were still here! Then my finish would be as glamorous as it was before!", the 'Con nagged in his posh voice.

Grumbling the red con, held the buffer in front of his faceplate staring at it angrily, his black and red optics began to swell with rage and anguish. Suddenly, Knock-Out's servos tightened, and with one hefty throw the buffer flew and banged against the wall, slightly denting it in the process. As it fell to the ground with a loud bang, the medical bay's sliding doors opened revealing a very unamused, and distasteful Dreadwing.

With a scoff, Knock-Out put a servo on his hip, and stood in a slight sassy pose, "Now, to what do I owe the pleasure… Commander?", Knock-Out asked.

"I heard a commotion, and was obligated to investigate.", Dreadwing answered.

"Well you won't find anything here, I'm afraid… maybe your sensors need to be adjusted.", Knock-Out lied, crossing is servos.

Dreadwing saw passed Knock-Out's petty folly, and turned his helm only to lay optics on a completely destroyed buffer, and a slightly dented wall.  
Pointing at the buffer, "Then what do you call that, Doctor?", Dreadwing pointed out.

"Oh that…", Knockout walked over to the buffer, "That was just an unexpected accident, I must've put the thing on too fast, and the piece of scrap just flew out of my servos.", Knock-Out fibbed, picking up the destroyed buffer.

Dreadwing, still seeing passed Knock-Out's folly, stared at the Doctor with his solid red optics, as if staring straight into the medic's very spark. Giving an awkward chuckle, Knock-Out threw the destroyed buffer into a trash reciprocal, and made his way towards his office.

"Knock-Out.", Dreadwing spoke out loud, "Your undermined ways of trying to hide your feelings for your deactivated conjux, isn't working well for you.", Dreadwing informed, causing Knock-Out to stop in his tracks.

"What did you say Dreadwing?!", Knock-Out snapped.

"I'm saying that you're doing a terrible job hiding your feelings for Breakdown, and you need to stop dwelling on the past and move on.", Dreadwing said, looking down at the angered mech.

"And who are you to say that! This is my life Dreadwing, and I have the right to mourn this important loss!", Knock-Out shouted, his optics glowing a furious red.

"I understand you completely… I was light years away when I felt the death of my twin brother, Skyquake.", Dreadwing said solemnly, causing Knock-Out's optics to change from a hateful red, to a dimmed saddened red.

"I apologize… I completely forgot about Skyquake… I was focusing more on my loss, and forgot that others are also suffering from theirs…", Knock-Out looked to the side, as Dreadwing put a servo on his shoulder.

"The best thing you can do is move on, and use what you've learned from your loss to help aid you in the future.", Dreadwing advised.

 _{But you're the one who got Breakdown offlined in the first place!},_ Knock-Out thought, internally sneering at the SIC, who stood in front of him.

"Now I advise, that you don't speak of this conversation we're having in front of our Master, you know how he feels about us standing around mingling like this.", Dreadwing informed, while Knock-Out continued to look to the side, a sneer clearly in his faceplate.

Dreadwing felt his spark pulse, as he knew that Knock-Out wasn't feeling saddened for his lost conjux, but rather a boiling hatred for the one responsible for Breakdown's demise, and he knew that all of his anger is being focused on him.

"Knock-Out, if my words hold any meaning to you, I feel a deep regret for the loss of your partner under my command, and I wish to state that I'm sor-", Dreadwing was then interpreted by the sound of Megatron's voice blaring through, Knock-Out's console,

"Knock-Out! Why have you been ignoring Soundwave's transmissions!", Megatron sounded unamused, along with very unpleased.

Knock-Out glared at Dreadwing, and back at the console, with a slight motion of his right servo, he activated the com link, "Loud and clear my liege.", KnockOut spoke in a snarky tone.

"Knock-Out, where have you been!?", Megatron asked angrily.

"My apologies Lord Megatron, I was rather engaged in a conversation with your new Second-in-Command here, he's quite the chatterbox if you ask me.", Knock-Out said slyly, causing Dreadwing to glare at the red con.

"Dreadwing is with you? How interesting… nonetheless, Soundwave and I have gained access to the downed ship, and need your medical knowledge to help aid us in verifying various findings, aboard the vessel. Head to the command deck, and take the bridge to my location… and as for you Dreadwing, I expect you to lead a group of Eradicons here as well, to carry supplies we found to the Nemesis. Understood?", Megatron ordered.

Both cons responded with, "Yes my lord!", and made their way to the command deck. Both mechs not even looking at each other, or mentioning their previous conversation.

* * *

 **{Meanwhile- Autobots}**

The ground bridge made a visst sound, as the last Autobot walked through the portal, with a cube of energon on her servo, Acree handed it over to Wheeljack.

"A gift from Team Prime, as a thanks for the ride.", Arcee smiled, putting her servos on her hips.

"Thanks, I really needed this, levels are nearing half, so this'll definitely help.", Jackie thanked, walking over to his ship, "Sorry if the Jack-Hammer is limited in leg room, it's not meant to carry more than two wreckers, little less a Prime, a two-wheeler, and a hefty young scout.", Wheeljack chuckled, lowering the lift.

*beeeerrr zooiii*, Bumblebee buzzed.

"I'm pretty sure that we all can fit in the Jack Hammer, Bee.", Arcee smiled at Bumblebee, "And you're not that hefty, Wheeljack is just messing with your gears.", Arcee chucked, lighting up Bee's optics with glee.

Bulkhead followed Wheeljack to the lift, thanking him for helping out his team, but all Wheeljack did was shrug and gave his best friend a slap on the back, as they waited for the rest of team prime, to join them on the lift. After a few minutes of adjusting to the cramped space of the Jackhammer, Wheeljack started the engines, and the Autobots were off to the moon.

* * *

 _ **{Meanwhile- Decepticons}  
**_  
Megatron was walking around the ship, while Soundwave was accessing the ship's logs. However, it seemed that almost every room looked exactly the same, containing berths and various medical devices. This ship must've been repurposed for medical reasons, rather it being used as a deep space voyager, but that made Megatron question if the stasis pods were still accounted for.

If there was a chance that this ship wasn't completely absent of occupants, then maybe the stasis pods contained the medical staff, and that would mean that medical needs would quickly be troubleshooted. Nonetheless, the pods must be very well hidden, or behind a secret door in order to ensure the safety of the staff, making Megatron wish that Soundwave was a bit faster at his decrypting.

Turning down a corridor, Megatron found the Energon fuel supply room, and discovered why the beacon went off. There was a limited supply of whatever Energon was left to power the life support of the vessel, meaning that the ship doesn't refuel soon, then everything will suddenly go offline, and the database will be nothing but a lost cause.

Contacting Soundwave, Megatron ordered him to notify his SIC, of bring Energon to the vessel before he bridges over. With that, Megatron walked to the Command center of the vessel, as the bridge between the Nemesis and the Vessel made a hissing sound.

"Oooh looks homey.", Knock-Out chimed in, walking through the portal, and up to his master, kneeling before him.

"My liege, you asked for my presence?", Knock-Out asked.

"Ah yes, Knock-Out I've made some interesting discoveries aboard this vessel, some things that might intrigue you as well.", Megatron implied, as Knock-Out stood up.

"Follow me.", Megatron inclined, walking away from Knock-Out, expecting him to follow.

Megatron steadily trekked his way through the halls of the vessel, with Knock-Out in pursuit, "Knock-Out, how familiar are you with the practice of resurrection?", Megatron asked.

"Well, outside the practical use of Dark Energon, I have no knowledge of that practice.", Knock-Out admitted.

"No need to be shy doctor, I'm quite aware that you know more about the subject, than what you wish to disclose.", Megatron provoked.

"Y-yes Lord Megatron… I did do some research on the subject, but after witnessing the carnage that this process requires, I myself deem it too ghastly… even for someone as sadistic as I.", Knock-Out shuttered.

"Well if you really think about it that way…", Megatron mocked, standing in front of a door, "Then tell me doctor… does this frighten you?", Megatron quaked, opening the door to only show Knock-Out his findings.

"B-by the Allspark!", Knock-Out gasped as he glazed at all the contents of the room, "Are all of those really what I think they are?", Knock-Out asked.

"Why yes doctor, they are all artificial spark chambers, all designed by one particular Cybertronian.", Megatron laughed.

"Mortis… Rigor Mortis… or what I've heard-", Knock-Out uttered,

" Zom-Doc, Spark Stealer, Doctor of Disgrace… they go by many names.", Megatron chimed, as he gazed at all of the artificial spark chambers on the walls.

"So does that mean we're on the-", Knock-Out gasped.

"Yes Knock-Out, we're aboard the Immortal, the long lost Decepticon medical transport, that disappeared sometime after the fall of Cybertron, and now eons later here we are.", Megatron beckoned.

"Small universe…", Knock-Out mused.

"So it seem…", Megatron pondered, looking around the room as his transmissions from Soundwave told him something, that the medic wasn't aware of.

"It seem that these 'artificial sparks', aren't the only gems in this room.", Megatron spoke, walking to a panel on the other side of the room, touching part of the wall, searching for something.

Knock-Out watched his master, looking at him with bewilderment as he pulled a part of the wall down, it appeared to be a switch. Then an audible crack and a visst, came out of nowhere, steam from a neon purple light, whooshed out, and filled the room. The metal wall soon collapsed into the floor, revealing another part of the laboratory that was hidden for eons, the lights in the room were off, but the subtle glow of an eerie purple is seen.

"Whoa, spooky…", Knock-Out cautioned, looking up at his master, who had nothing more than a sinister grin stretched across is faceplate.

Without a word, Megatron walked into the darkened room, doing so the lights slowly dimmed on, revealing that this room was the stasis room. Empty pods circled the walls, except one that was still operational. The pod was covered in frost, indicating that these pods were in fact, the experimental versions of the recent stasis pods. Right next to the frosted pod, was the Energon life support, that fed the occupant fresh Energon to help the occupant from completely shutting down.

"Knock-Out? What do you think of this?", Megatron asked, raising an optic ridge, looking at the doctor, who was looking at the empty pods.

"Well my assessment is… is that all these other pods did sustain occupancy, but all perished and we're ejected to a scrap pile, somewhere on the ship.", Knock-Out shrugged his shoulders.

"And as for this one?", Megatron hinted at the only operational pod.

"Well it was placed higher on the list of command, so all reserved Energon was directed straight to this one.", Knock-Out addressed, making Megatron nod his helm.

"I see… is there anyway to open this pod?", Megatron asked.

"Yes my liege, it's nearly the exact same process as our current stasis pods, except this one will take a while to defrost.", Knock-Out stated.

"Well, see to it that it gets done, I'd like to meet this occupant in person. How long will it take before I can meet them?", Megatron asked.

"Hmm give or take…10 kilks.", Knock-Out advised.

Megatron just nodded his helm, walking back towards the hallway, stopping before he exited, "Oh and Knock-Out, I'm sending in some Eradicons to retrieve the artificial sparks, don't be distracted from your duty. Do I make myself clear?", Megatron sneered.

"Y-yes my liege.", Knock-Out uttered, as he activated the defrosting measures on the stasis pod.

* * *

 _ **{Meanwhile- Autobots}**_ _  
_

The Jackhammer zoomed into space, its destination the moon. Flying faster than an earthing space shuttle, it'll reach the beacon's location in less than 5 kilks. The Autobots sat cramped in the back space of the ship, optics glowing with the will to fight. There was a small hum of the beacon's signal pulsating on the ship's display, for a while it was going strong, but suddenly it died out.

"Aw scrap, the 'Cons must've disabled the beacon.", Wheeljack exclaimed.

"Even though the beacon is no longer broadcasting, we still have the exact location of the coordinates displayed. Autobots, we are nearing our location prepare for a capture mission.", Optimus announced.

"A capture mission?", Acree asked.

"We are to capture and secure the location, to ensure that it doesn't stay in Decepticon hands.", Optimus announced, all the Autobots nodded their helms, as they stealthily neared the beacon's location.

"By the Allspark, it's a downed ship!", Bulkhead shuddered, gazing at ancient crash site.

Optimus squinted his optics, looking at the distinct details of the ship, his optics widened, "That isn't just a regular Decepticon transport vessel… but rather it is the infamous medical vessel called the Immortal.", Optimus pointed out.

"Wait that hunk of junk? Wasn't it just a re-purposed deep space voyager?", Wheeljack asked.

"Indeed, and it was lost to the cosmos, after the fall of Cybertron.", Optimus recalled.

"Yeah, and leaving the Cons with thousands deactivated, during the great Exodus, but that didn't stop Megatron from hunting us down.", Arcee inputted.

There was a moment of silence between the Autobots, nobody dared to speak, but when Wheeljack suddenly jerked the Jack-Hammer to stop, every bot in the ship, looked up from their solemn state, to catch glimpse of the Nemesis, flying over the downed Immortal.

"It seems that the Decepticons took no time, to start scavenging the Immortal. Wheeljack bring us in, and Autobots prepare for battle.", Optimus announced. With a grin Wheeljack, flew down to the moon's surface and landed, preparing for a fight.

* * *

 ** _End of chapter note:_**

 _Before I hear complaining, which I doubt I'll get complaints, but yes I chose the most edgiest name for one of my OCs... and I'm aware that naming a Decepticon scientist Rigor Mortis is kinda, well cliche... but hey it sounds cool right? Oh and naming the ship "The Immortal", also super edgy... yesss ;) Well I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I'd love to hear your feedback, helps me with the editing of the rest of the story._ (-_-') _This story has so much editing, to make the format look pristine, cuz I like easy to read format, with near nonexistent grammar errors. So **Thank you** for reading! See you next chapter!_


	3. TFP: Sparkless Ch3: Slumber

**Disclaimer** **:** _I do not own any of the Transformers characters in the TFP series, nor do I claim ownership of any_ _kind towards anything trademarked. This story is just for fun, and isn't connected towards the true lore behind the franchise. The only things I own are the OCs._

 **Author's Note:** _I'm a very huge fan of the Transformers franchise, and my absolute favorite series is Transformers Prime. I mean I can watch the whole series any freaking time that I want! I've already watched it 5 times on Netflix, and that's not counting the other times I've watched it on the HUB... sadly when the HUB died, I figured that was the end of this series being on TV, and I was right. Also, I wasn't at all satisfied with Robots in Disguise, to me it was a sad reminder that a good series always was a terrible follow up series... it's just bound to happen... So here I am typing up a story that I've been sitting on for a VERY long time, I have been avoiding publishing this since the series ended in 2013... yeah I had the whole thing in a notebook that I kept with me, and I gotta say I've still got a ton of grammar mistakes that need to be adjusted. So yes the story is 100% completed, all I gotta do is type up the whole thing, and post it here. Also to address, if the format looks weird, it's because I use Google docs, and refuse to purchase dis stupid Office, cuz I'm cheap and like free things._

 _ **also to note:** this story does contain OCs, and a complete story change... yes I actually re-wrote the story, and that also means I changed the past, leading up to this point. You'll soon find out what I changed, and how some parts actually reflect other Transformer's series, and comic books. I mean, I've read some of the comic books, and I'm vaguely familiar with the real cannon lore, but I kinda scrapped all that and made my own, by using those stories as inspiration fuel. Huehuehue please don't hate me because I re-wrote the story to my liking... yeah...whelp I won't keep you reading my random words anymore... just go and read the story... (O_o)_

 _ **An Update note:** This is when things start to get exciting and weird. You'll find out what I mean, and I hope you are prepared for some action! I really like to use dialogue, because with good dialogue comes an interesting tale, and I love using it! So please enjoy this chapter! _

* * *

**Chapter 3: Slumber**

"Hmm let's see now, internal temperature rising… Energon levels nominal… Spark pluses nominal… Ah don't worry my frozen friend, you'll be brought back to speed in no time." Knock-Out hummed, patting the frosted glass of the stasis pod.

"Are you talking to yourself medic?", a deep gruff voice mocked, causing Knock-Out to flinch.

"Oh its you…", Knock-Out groaned, staring unamused at Dreadwing.

"I see that you're in the process of defrosting an unknown ally.", Dreadwing pointed out.

"Oh really? What gave you that idea?", Knock-Out scoffed.

"Lord Megatron informed me of your duty, and wanted me to inform you that all the medical supplies on this vessel has been transported to your work station aboard the Nemesis, and that you and I have to escort our new comrade aboard, once they are out of stasis.", Dreadwing informed.

"Of course 'we' do…", Knock-Out rolled his optics.

Dreadwing took a deep vent, and walked over to Knock-Out, "Look, I know we haven't seen optic to optic after the tragedy of Breakdown… and I apologize for his death… greatly… and I feel responsible for not aiding you in the mourning process…", Dreadwing sighed, finally expressing his feelings.

Glaring at Dreadwing with solemn optics, Knock-Out gave a little vent, looking back at the large blue mech and back at the monitor, "I forgive you.", Knock-Out sighed, making Dreadwing look up.

"Thank-", the blue mech began, before getting cut off by Knock-Out.

"However, I will not truly be satisfied until I've ripped out Airachnid's spark!", Knock-Out bellowed, his optics flaring a sinister red, just like Lord Megatron's.

"So you seek vengeance?", the blue seeker asked.

Knock-Out looked up at Dreadwing, his denta tightly shut, "My spark burns for her death…", Knock-Out growled.

 _{I can feel his anger, so much hate, is this Knock-Out's true nature}_ , Dreadwing thought, as he gazed down at the angered mech, and with a sigh he gave a slight grin.

"If only you used that type of aggression towards the Autobots, then you'll be a great symbol for our cause.", Dreadwing mused.

Knock-Out just rolled his optics at Dreadwing's comment, not at the least interested in being a symbol for the cause that killed his conjux… and others close to him, "Whatever you say Dreadwing…", Knock-Out shrugged, watching the monitor in front of him, as it pinged, indicating that the defrosting is now complete.

"What was that sound?", Dreadwing asked.

Rolling his optics again, "That would be the notification for the end of the defrosting stage.", Knock-Out mumbled.

"No not that…", Dreadwing began.

 **!BANG!** Dust particles fell from the ceiling.

"That!", Dreadwing sneered, pulling out his blast cannon, "You stay here, make sure that whoever is in that pod, get them out of here!", Dreadwing ordered, running towards the hallway, only for the sounds of laser fire to be heard, once the door opened.

With another optic roll, Knock-Out turned towards the pod, pulling a red lever on the right side of the pod, with a loud hiss, the old rusted hinges of pod slowly opened. Cold puffs of cryo air smoked from the pod, filling the room Knock-Out was in with a white mist.

Wafting the mist away with his servos, Knock-Out caught a glimpse of the occupant. His optics widened as he gazed down at the form of a femme, her face plate was a pure wicker white, like his own. Her frame looked very similar as well, except it had more curves… but the most surprising part was the fact she wasn't a normal Cybertronian, but rather a triple changer, with a crimson red finish. Knock-Out couldn't believe what he was staring at, his red and black optics dimmed, glaring at this unexpected surprise.

"Sister…", Knock-Out breathed, his optics swelling.

* * *

 _ **{Meanwhile}**_ **  
**  
The main hallway of the immortal was filled with smoke, as more blaster fire whooshed through the air, "Soundwave, have you finished downloading all the files saved with the Immortal's data banks?", Megatron asked, as he fired at the intruders. Ducking behind a makeshift barricade, Megatron awaited the response.

"Good, erase every last nano bit of data and open up a bridge to the Nemesis, once on board wait for my signal and decimate the Immortal.", Megatron ordered, grinning menacingly, but that was cut short when he saw Dreadwing running in to join the fight with the Autobots.

"My Lord, I came as fast as I can, once I heard the commotion.", Dreadwing huffed.

Standing up and gazing directly into Dreadwing's optics, Megatron's grin was that of a scowl, "Didn't I make myself clear when I ordered you to stay by Knock-Out's side, and help him escort that pod's occupants to the Nemesis!", Megatron barked.

"I-I apologize my master, I thought Knock-Out was capable of doing that job himself.", Dreadwing trembled.

"Grrr, go back and assist him, you're not needed here, this is just a diversion for the Autobots. This place is rigged to blow, and I don't want our only Doctor to perish.", Megatron ordered, making Dreadwing turn around and head back to the room Knock-Out was in.

* * *

 _ **{Autobots}  
**_

Arcee caught a glimpse of Dreadwing running back down the hallway, "Optimus I think something is wrong, I just spotted Dreadwing run over here, then turned tail and run back to where he came.", Arcee mused.

*weeee eeeerrriii zoooeeee doooo*, Bumblebee buzzed.

"Yes, I do believe that this is nothing but a diversion, to keep us at a stalemate, so the Decepticons can make a quick escape.", Optimus addressed.

"Do you think they already rigged this place to blow?", Bulkhead asked.

"Well if I were a Con, which I'm not, I'd take what I can, and destroy the rest.", Wheeljack noted.

"He's right, this was all just a diversion so that the 'Cons could make an escape plan, while doing so destroy us and the Immortal in the process.", Arcee warned.

"Autobots hold your ground, Wheeljack head back to your ship and prepare for evac. Arcee-", Optimus ordered.

"You want me to go ahead and investigate? Right ahead of you!", Arcee exclaimed, transforming into her motorcycle alt mode, speeding passed the Decepticon's blockade.

Megatron caught glimpse of the two wheeler, optics blaring a hot red, as he started to aim his sights towards the motorcycle. If Arcee wasn't in her alt mode, she'd have a smug grin stretched across her faceplate, when she zoomed passed the Decepticon warlord. Driving at breakneck speed, Arcee maneuvered passed all the Eradicons, dodging all shots fired at her.

"Arcee, the Immortal features many quick escape passages, if you don't find anything before the Decepticons retreat, make sure to evacuate the Immortal as soon as possible.", Optimus advised.

"Good to hear that this ship was built like a 'Con, with its many escape routes, I mean.", Arcee joked, as she drove down the long hallway.

* * *

 _ **{Decepticons}**_

Megatron watched in pure rage, as the blue femme sped passed his blockade. At this point he knew that it was time to blow the place, sky high.

"Decepticons! Fall back to the Command deck! We're going back aboard the Nemesis!", Megatron ordered the remaining Eradicons. Retreating wasn't Megatron's forte, but if it meant the possible extinction of the Autobots, then so be it. Scowling as he turned tail, Megatron fired one more blast, but this time at an exhaust vet, causing a jet of thick steam to fill the already smoky room. Storming off towards the bridge, Megatron sneered to himself, wishing that Optimus wasn't so quick to act.

Cursing to himself, Megatron com-linked his SIC, "Dreadwing, meet me at the bridge, once you have retrieved Knock-Out and the pod's occupant, do you understand? We are currently on a countdown, and I don't want my most valuable assets to be destroyed.", he ordered.

"Affirmative Lord Megatron.", Dreadwing responded.

"Good, you've got 5 kliks. Don't disappoint me.", the gunmetal warlord sneered, entering the bridge.

"Soundwave, have you downloaded the Immortal's database?", Megatron asked, the silent mech.

With a nod, Soundwave displayed numerous lines of Cybertronian text, on his visor, indicating that he has completely downloaded the entire database, onto his drives. With a grin, Megatron thought only of what was encrypted in those files, and how he could utilize them, for his own twisted means.

"As excellent as always. Now go the the Nemesis, and await my command.", Megatron ordered.

Obeying his master, Soundwave walked through the portal, leaving Megatron alone on the bridge, to await Dreadwing's return.

* * *

 _ **{Meanwhile}**_

Knock-Out leaned against the console, a servo over his faceplate, his optics widened with that of fear and disbelief.  
"My… my sister… this-this can't be her! I saw her, she was deactivated…", Knock-Out trembled.

His spark ached, pulsing with the familiar pressure that only is his sister, and Breakdown caused him. Could this triple changer really be his sister? Knock-Out was in deep thought, and never noticed Dreadwing rushing back into the room.

"Knock-Out, Lord Megatron needs us to evacuate the-… what's the issue?", Dreadwing walked over to the red mech, as he stood trembling. Dreadwing's golden faceplate held no sign of concern, it was emotionless like it always was, but the moment he laid eyes on the pod's occupant, his optics widened.

"This cannot be… is that a real triple changer?", Dreadwing gasped.

"N-not just any… that would be my sister…", Knock-Out shuttered.

Dreadwing's face showed that of pure shock, the medic never disclosed having family members, nor spoke of any to begin with. This news completely changed Dreadwing's view of the red mech, venting a heavy huff, Dreadwing walked over to the femme.

"Is she?", Dreadwing began.

"Offline…n-no… she's just possibly experiencing stasis shock… h-happens when we're stuck in a freezer for a long time.", Knock-Out whispered, shaking his helm.

"I see, but there is a matter is still at hand. The Autobots have infiltrated the Immortal, just like Megatron predicted.", Dreadwing informed.

"As persistent as always.", Knock-Out chimed, still sounding depressed.

"We need to get your sister out of here, I'll carry her aboard the Nemesis… if you don't mind?", Dreadwing looked over to Knock-Out's sister.

"Go right ahead… she wouldn't like me carrying her in the first place.", Knock-Out sighed, as Dreadwing carefully lifted the femme from the pod.

The two mechs were making their way out when Knock-Out stopped halfway, "What is wrong, doctor?", Dreadwing asked.

"I'm concerned…", Knock-Out sighed.

"Can't we talk about this aboard the Nemesis?", Dreadwing implied.

"Not with Soundwave listening in to every private conversation…", Knock-Out stressed, looking to the side.

"Even though my loyalty to my master holds no bounds, I oblige to your request, for I too believe that eavesdropping on private conversations, is a bit extreme.", Dreadwing stated, standing by the door, cradling the femme in his servos.

"My sister… died after the fall of Cybertron… she was a field medic, and died during one of the battles… I examined her corpse.", Knock-Out's optics glowed a hot red.

"What are you blabbering about? Your femme sibling is right here, maybe the one you saw wasn't her.", Dreadwing questioned.

"No I'm sure… I saw her offlined, with her spark gone… her head-casket gone… and she was no triple changer…", Knock-Out slumped over an empty rack.

"How is that possible? You mean that she was gutted? But that doesn't explain anything?", Dreadwing asked, looking at the dark red femme.

Knock-Out didn't have anything to muster, all he could do was shrug, and muttered words that didn't make any sense.

"Knock-Out.", Dreadwing spoke, but Knock-Out continued to slump down, nearing the floor.

"Knock-Out!", Dreadwing yelled, but he red mech started to vent faster, "Calm down.", Dreadwing said slowly, not understanding what was happening to the doctor.

Knock-Out sat down on the floor, vision failing, looking up at the concerned face of Dreadwing, but to Knock-Out's optics, all he saw was Breakdown. His optics began to swell, confusion took over his processors, his spark throbbing for answers, the scene started to turn black. With a thud Knock-Out literally was knocked out, his optics were closed and his frame went limp. With a growling sigh, Dreadwing put the femme over one shoulder, and hosted Knock-Out up over the other. Grumbling to himself Dreadwing made his way towards the Command deck.

While he was marching towards his destination, Dreadwing heard the sound of a motorcycle heading his way. As he turned down the hallway towards the command deck, a bright light is seen turning towards Dreadwing, then suddenly transforming to form Arcee, with her blasters already aiming at Dreadwing.

"Freeze!", Arcee shouted.

"The Autobot known as Arcee, I see that we're at an impasse. Shoot me, and you'll leave two incapacitated victims to die.", Dreadwing hinted at Knock-Out and the red femme. Dreadwing's face held no expression, as he gaze at the confused Autobot, who stared at the unknown femme.

With a growl, Arcee put away her blasters, "The next time we meet, I won't spare your life.", Arcee spat.

"Likewise.", Dreadwing teased, watching as Arcee transformed and drove off.

Giving a scowl, Dreadwing continued to walk towards his destination. Feeling a bit embarrassed that an Autobot caught him, in the most ridiculous situation.

* * *

 _ **{Autobots}**_

Arcee drove down the hallway, the image of the unknown femme in her processors. She couldn't shake that she's seen that femme before, but nothing came up.

"Arcee.", Optimus' voice buzzed, "It is time to make our retreat, have you found anything of interest?", Optimus announced.

"No Optimus, the Immortal was whipped clean…", Arcee transformed, walking towards an airlock, "Except… I ran into Dreadwing, and he carrying Knock-Out and an unknown femme over his shoulders… I didn't bother fighting him…", Arcee informed.

"Hmm, report your findings in detail once we get back to base, but for now tell us your location, for evac.", Optimus stated.

"West wing, airlock.", Arcee informed, opening the airlock, and stepping out into the vast void of the lunar atmosphere. Moments later, the Jackhammer was visible, flying over a rocky dune, opening the bottom hatch, letting in the blue femme.

Arcee stared at the Immortal, while the lift was slowly rising. The blue femme couldn't shack the image of the crimson femme, it was as if she knew her, or maybe she was someone else, but she couldn't deny. That femme was no Decepticon, however she could sense that she was something more, something she never though she'd ever see.

* * *

 _ **{Decepticons}**_

Dreadwing casually walked into the Command deck, looking quiet unamused with having to carry not only a power downed femme, but also Knock-Out. A large frown was clearly visible on his golden faceplate, as he walked up to Megatron, who had his arms crossed across his chassis. Megatron didn't say a single word, staring coldly at Dreadwing, who walked passed his master, into the ground bridge.

With a huff, Megatron turned around, and walked into the portal, while walking inside he activated his com-link, "Soundwave, wipe the Immortal out of existence.", Megatron ordered, the ground bridge closing behind, as he stepped out onto the Nemesis' command deck. In the distance, a large purple flash came from the moon, a massive explosion, silent in space. The flash sent space debris into Earth's orbit, and chunks of metal scattered like petals. The Immortal was no more.

* * *

 _End of chapter notes:_

 _So I gave Knock-Out a sister... huehuehue wasn't expecting that right!? Well I hope that you guys are ok with my OC being the sibling to our favorite Red 'Con, and yes there is more to come! After I finish my edits, with the next chapter. In my mind every last word needs to be analyzed and assessed, for the best possible results. I gotta say I like stories that take note on how everything fits. Until the next chapter is complete, **Thank you** for reading._

 _ps. I didn't mention Knock-Out's sister's name because I'm evil. Muhahahahahahahahahahahahaha_

 _pss-_ _( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)_


	4. TFP: Sparkless Ch4: Echos

**Disclaimer** **:** _I do not own any of the Transformers characters in the TFP series, nor do I claim ownership of any_ _kind towards anything trademarked. This story is just for fun, and isn't connected towards the true lore behind the franchise. The only things I own are the OCs._

 **Author's Note:** _I'm a very huge fan of the Transformers franchise, and my absolute favorite series is Transformers Prime. I mean I can watch the whole series any freaking time that I want! I've already watched it 5 times on Netflix, and that's not counting the other times I've watched it on the HUB... sadly when the HUB died, I figured that was the end of this series being on TV, and I was right. Also, I wasn't at all satisfied with Robots in Disguise, to me it was a sad reminder that a good series always was a terrible follow up series... it's just bound to happen... So here I am typing up a story that I've been sitting on for a VERY long time, I have been avoiding publishing this since the series ended in 2013... yeah I had the whole thing in a notebook that I kept with me, and I gotta say I've still got a ton of grammar mistakes that need to be adjusted. So yes the story is 100% completed, all I gotta do is type up the whole thing, and post it here. Also to address, if the format looks weird, it's because I use Google docs, and refuse to purchase dis stupid Office, cuz I'm cheap and like free things._

 _ **also to note:** this story does contain OCs, and a complete story change... yes I actually re-wrote the story, and that also means I changed the past, leading up to this point. You'll soon find out what I changed, and how some parts actually reflect other Transformer's series, and comic books. I mean, I've read some of the comic books, and I'm vaguely familiar with the real cannon lore, but I kinda scrapped all that and made my own, by using those stories as inspiration fuel. Huehuehue please don't hate me because I re-wrote the story to my liking... yeah...whelp I won't keep you reading my random words anymore... just go and read the story... (O_o)_

 _ **An Update note:** I hope that the weirdness of the third chapter didn't scare you guys away, because it just gets weirder from here... Yeah my highskooler mind must've been a pit of edgy despair, or something... But here is the fourth chapter. Polished an ready for another round of buffing... well then... I'm just gonna walk to my dark corner and start editing the fifth chapter... dear lord I really must've been an edgy highskooler... I can't explain anything... whelp enjoy the read!_

* * *

 **Chapter 4: Echos**

 _ **{Sometime during the War of Cybertron…}**_

A howling wind blows over the shattered plains of a battlefield, parts of offlined bots of both factions litter the soil. Rusty piles of cybertronian dust gathered alongside the bodies,while a pair of glossy blackened optics reflect two figures walking through the scorched ground.

"Hey Doc! This one seems to have perfectly intact optics.", a mech with yellow optics hollered.

Groaning, a mech with black and red optics makes his way over to the corpse, "The quicker we scavenge, the quicker we get out of here!", the mech said in disgust, "Just cut off the head, it'll save us time.", the red optic mech ordered.

"You're the boss.", the yellow optic mech winked, making the red optic mech turn away, clearly blushing.

"Breakdown, you're lucky we're the only ones out here, or I'd truly smack you for that.", the red optic mech grinned.

"Oh come on Knock-Out, I know you liked it.", Breakdown teased.

Knock-Out put his servos on his hips, swaying to the side in a sassy pose, "You'd like that would you?", Knock-Out snickered.

After a while of 'mingling', Knock-Out decided to venture off a ways ahead by himself. Scavenging for body parts wasn't his favorite part of being a freelance Decepticon field medic, but if it meant helping those who needed first aid, then he'll gladly take that excuse to hang out with his conjux. However, while he was walking something caught his attention, he crept carefully low to the ground, as he neared what it seemed to be a destroyed bunker. His audios could hear the sound of metal against metal, as if a saw blade was ripping through a chassis. Looking over a pile of rust, Knock-Out caught a glimpse of a crimson red figure, the finish on the body was pristine, the deep red color made Knock-Out admire its gloss.

Shaking his helm, he took a closer look at the figure, his optics widened as he peered at the emblem on its shoulder armor. "Autobot…", Knock-Out growled, ducking behind the pile of rust, "Knock-Out to Breakdown, I just found a lone Autobot scavenging a corpse, it's not in their nature to be digging around battlefields, but I do believe that they-", he began, before Breakdown finished his sentence.

"They picked a bad time to be alone out here.", Breakdown's chuckles buzzed out of the com-link.

Knock-Out smirked, gazing at the Autobot as they sawed through cybertronian metal. Pulling out his Energon shock prod, Knock-Out strolled out from behind the rust pile, activating the prod, causing the Autobot to stop sawing.

"Well well well, what brings you out here, to this scrapyard, Autobot?", Knock-Out chimed. Walking slowly towards the Autobot, who was still crouched over the corpse, not moving to even look at Knock-Out. Then, the Autobot retracted their saw back into a servo.

"What so stricken with fear, that you can't even fight back? Pathetic- *gasp*!", Knock-Out was cut short, as the Autobot shot up from their crouched position, and whirled around to face him. Glowing blue optics with red rings around them, glared at Knock-Out.

"Who are you calling pathetic?", the femme scoffed, in a posh tone.

"T-t-Tap-Out!", Knock-Out gasped, staring at the deep red femme.

"Of course, out of all the vermin in the wastes, I get caught scavenging by you!", Tap-Out pointed an accusing finger at Knock-Out.

"V-Vermin!", Knock-Out pointed his Shock Pod at the angered femme, "I'm far from being a simple pest!", Knock-Out scowled.

"Oh excuse me mister, traitor of his own family!", Tap-Out angery waved her servos around.

"Ah enough of your cringe worthy insults Tap-Out, now tell me what an Autobot like yourself is doing out here by your lonesome?!", Knock-Out questioned.

"Oh and why should I tell you Decepticon? I'm surprised that you even care for your family, little less still consider yourself apart of one!", Tap-Out continued to yell at her brother.

"Look we may be on different sides of this war, but that doesn't mean I can't care about my family!", Knock-Out scowled.

With a huff, Tap-Out closed her optics,"Fine, fine… I'm scavenging for parts… for medical reasons…", She admitted.

"So you did become a field medic, after all, hm?", Knock-Out asked, deactivating his Shock Prod.

"If you must know I did, and by my observations the same is for you?", she pointed out.

"Um yes… our sire did expect one of us to become a Doctor… but I'm more of a cosmetologist…", Knock-Out admitted.

"Right… you were always the Drama Queen, what the line you've always said? 'Make you better than you'.", Tap-Out chucked.

A still silence settled between the two siblings, both moved exactly same, and both felt equally awkward. The pair haven't seen each other in stellar-cycles... ever since Knock-Out was forced to leave his family, due to him choosing to be a Decepticon.

Mustering up the courage, Knock-Out broke the silence, "How are our creators by the way?", Knock-Out spoke up.

Tap-Out's optics dimmed, looking over to the side, "Gone…", she whispered.

It was as if Knock-Out's spark stopped pulsing, his optics widened, looking at the solemn gloom written on Tap-Out's faceplate, "Y-your lying!", Knock-Out bellowed.

"No… no I'm not…", Tap-Out looked to the side, but right behind her a looming shadow appeared, yellow optics peering down at the dark red femme.

Giant servos wrapped around the torso of Tap-Out, who started to struggle, her real emotions pouring out, which made Knock-Out jump towards her attacker.

"Breakdown you idiot! Put my sister down!", Knock-Out screamed, pulling at the blue mech's servos.

"Wha!?", Breakdown exclaimed, letting go of Tap-Out, who fell into Knock-Out's servos.

"You lug nut! You could've killed her!", Knock-Out yelled, holding the dazed femme.

"Uh wasn't that the point!?", Breakdown questioned.

"Think before you act! Couldn't you tell I was having a conversation!", Knock-Out remarked.

"Well how in the Allspark, am I supposed to know that you two were having a chat?!", Breakdown stressed.

"Simple! Don't do anything until I tell you!", Knock-Out ordered. That remark shocked the dark blue mech, who grit his denta, at his over exaggerating conjunx.

"Knock-Out…", Tap-Out spoke before slapping her brother clear across the faceplate.

"Ahh! My finish!", Knock-Out gasped.

"What did I say about holding me, you knock-off!", Tap-Out cursed.

"Tap-Out! I was only trying to help! And what have I told you about calling me that!", Knock-Out yelled in response.

Breakdown confusingly, looked down at the two red Cybertronians as they clashed foreheads together, yelling at each other like younglings. Brother and sister continued to bark curses, as they both pushed each other, making it look as if they were playing tug of war.

Breakdown realizing that if it wasn't for him trying to scrap this dark red femme, then this fight between the two, wouldn't be happening. However, before he could intervene the two just stopped, and started glaring at each other with a solemn looks.

"What happened to them?", Knock-Out grieved.

With a sigh, Tap-Out glared into Knock-Out's weeping optics, "We were helping survivors escape the attack on Tyger Pax… the Decepticon forces proved too strong to hold back, so the Autobot commanders issued a full retreat. The city was lost, and our creators ordered me to take the remaining survivors and leave… I didn't want to, I wanted to stay and fight… but they begged me…", Tag-Out started to sob, "After cycles of waiting, I returned to the city, only to find it completely destroyed… using a tracking device, I discovered the final resting place of our creators… in a massive field of remains… just like this one…", Tap-Out looked up at her brother, his servos forming tight fists, while he held back the urge to vent his emotions.

Breakdown feeling his conjux's despair, walked over to Knock-Out, trying to comfort him. Seeing this act of kindness between the two 'Cons, made a Tap-Out give a small smile, "So you're the lucky mech that has the sparkbound with my brother?", Tap-Out uttered. "That's nice… for the both of you.", she remarked.

Knock-Out still absorbing the depressing information, about his creators, looked up at his sister's faceplate. Even though he was 2 meta cycles younger, he could tell that their sire's CNA held a strong presence in both of them, while their faceplate held much resemblance of their carrier's. Realizing that their creators are still with them at spark, he was more than glad to know that he still had one family member left.

"Well not to spoil the moment, but I've got to head back to my outpost… I've got patients to attend to.", Tap-Out said, picking up a large metal mesh bag, that contained an assortment of parts.

"Wait! We just reunited, and-and-", Knock-Out followed her, frantically trying to get her to reconsider staying, Breakdown following behind.

The two Decepticons followed the Autobot femme, all the way to her ship, where she stopped, to look at her brother, "Knock, I've got to get going before my superiors start calling.", Tap-Out informed.

"But can't you stay a little longer? I mean before we live our separate lives?", He weeped.

"I'm sorry… but I chose my side… and we both have to live with the consequences of our own decisions.", Tap-Out sighed, opening her ship's lift.

"But that'll all change if you join us, we can be brother and sister again! No more separate lives, no more conflict!", Knock-Out tried to persuade.

"Me a Decepticon? Dream on fashion show, I'm fine where I am.", Tap-Out mocked, standing on the lift.

"But-but…", Knock-Out cried, as his sister started rising up to her ship.

"Oh Breakdown, keep a close optic on fashionista here, believe it or not I still care for him!", was the last thing Tap-Out said, before she vanished inside the ship.

"She catches onto names fast…", Breakdown rubbed the back of his helm, while Knock-Out vented an angry huff at Tap-Out's name calling.

Moments later the ship flew off the rusty battleground, leaving to Primus knows where. Knock-Out watched solemnly, wishing that his only family member left were to stay a while longer, but he knew what kind of femme his sister was. She was a caring sister, the best kind, and all he wanted was for life to rewind, so he could cherish ever last moment with the family he lost.

* * *

 _ **{During the Great Exodus of Cybertron}**_ _  
_

The moons of Cybertron shinned an ill glow, upon the massive tents of a lone Decepticon Outpost. The sound of the outpost was gloomy, with groaning injured, and ambient sound of medical equipment. Knock-Out and his Eradicon assistant, were both dual tasking logging the online and the deactivated, when the sound of a screeching Cybertronian jet, transformed and landed just outside.

A grey seeker strolled into the medical tent, his red optics scanning the area, staring at all the injured, but solely laid sights upon the red doctor, "You there!", the seeker ordered, in his grumbling voice, "Come with me.", he beckoned, turning around.

Knock-Out shrugged at the Eradicon, who simply waved him off, and went back to his console. Following in suit with the seeker, Knock-Out noticed that they were heading towards the outskirts, where a skirmish was recently fought.

"I bet you're wondering why I brought you out here Doctor.", the seeker began, "I've discovered something that only one of your… expertise can give a full examination on.", the seeker stated, as they both walked passed a barrier, surrounded by Decepticon soldiers.

"By the look of your soldiers, you appear to be high up the Decepticon ranks.", Knock-Out commented, looking around at all the silver Eradicons.

"Why yes, you have good perception, I am Starscream, Second in Command of the Decepticons.", the seeker praised.

"Well I'm pleased to be following your orders Commander, I am Knock-Out, ex-cosmetologist, and active duty field medic.", Knock-Out bowed his helm.

"Good to see that we still have field medics still standing.", Starscream commented.

"Hm, that does beg the question, where is your field medic?", Knock-Out asked.

"That's why I brought you out here Doctor.", the seeker commented, walking up to a tarp, pulling it off to reveal the deceased medic. Knock-Out optics widened, looking at the field medic, who he once knew as Flatline, mangled out on the floor with his chassis completely ripped open, absent of his spark chamber.

"There are others like this too, both of Decepticon and Autobot alike.", Starscream sneered.

Knock-Out looked up at the seeker, his optics narrowed to the point where they looked like they were closed. His very spark was throbbing, as if he was close to a a spark, whose resonance matched his own. "Where are the Autobot dead?", he asked.

"That is besides the point doctor! I am in charge of this operation, directed by our lord and master Megatron, and I want answers!", Starscream shrieked.

"Where are the Autobot dead!", Knock-Out threatened.

The seeker's wings folded down, optics widening with surprise, "Um… right this way Doctor.", the seeker shuddered, faceplate with a clear scowl embedded in it.

Starscream lead Knock-Out to a literal pile of twisted metal, and rust. The Autobot bodies carelessly thrown on top of the other, the foul image of gaunt faceplates and dried up energon, burned an image of horror into Knock-Out's processors.

"Here you are doctor, the leftover scrap of the battle… a true masterpiece I must say.", Starscream gloated, but his antics didn't amuse the red mech, rather it angered him.

For the past few cycles, Knock-Out has been feeling a pain in his spark, it wasn't just the longing to be beside Breakdown again, but something that was very unfamiliar to him, so he started digging into the pile of corpses, not even caring about his finish. Starscream just stood there glaring at the doctor, watching him as he frantically searched through the rusting bodies.

"What do you hope to find in there? An answer to why our mechs have their spark chambers gouged out?", he asked, but Knock-Out didn't respond, "Gahhh, what are you doing! I demand that you tell me!", Starscream yelled.

Knock-Out's optics dimmed, his spark feeling heavy, as he gazed down at a familiar shade of crimson red. His whole frame was frozen solid, as the feeling of dread spiked right through him like a javelin, his servos started to shake like mad, and his optics began to leak coolant.

"What! What is your malfunction!", Starscream questioned, looking over the red mech's shoulder.

Knock-Out started to push away the other corpses, sobbing with every vent he took… for all of it only to stop. Gazing down at the headless corpse of a dark red Autobot medic, whose chassis was ripped open and spark chamber completely gone, Knock-Out began to buckle.

Just before he fell, the seeker caught him, "What is it? I don't see anything-what in the allspark is that!", the seeker yelled, gazing down at the Autobot medic's corpse.

"You there!", the seeker yelled at an Eradicon, "Fetch me that corpse from that scrap heap!", the seeker ordered.

"Yes Commander Starscream!", the Eradicon saluted, dragging out the mangled body.

Starscream dragged Knock-Out to the side placing him on his aft, pointing at the corpse, "Do you know this Autobot?", Starscream asked.

"Sh-sh-she's m-my si-sister…", Knock-Out quietly stuttered.

"Your sister? Well whatever is left of her anyways…", Starscream said, looming over to the corpse.

"Starscream!", a gruesome voice buzzed from his com-link.

"Y-yes Lord Megatron!?", Starscream scrambled to answer.

"Any results regarding this incident you informed me about?", Megatron questioned.

"Uh well you see, even the new field medic I employed myself, couldn't come up with a reason, why all of the spark chambers of both Decepticon and Autobot, have all been mysteriously removed.", Starscream informed.

"Hm, I wish to bear witness of these corpses myself, along with another who might know what could have happened to the spark chambers.", Megatron mused.

"And I'd like to meet this new Field Medic that you 'employed'. I like to know who will be in charge of my medical staff, aboard the Nemesis.", Megatron demanded.

"Well, about that my liege-"

"There will be no 'well's in this conversation Starscream, I'm bridging over there now.", Megatron commanded, leaving Starscream with his wings down, in distress.

Within an instant, a green vortex hissed into reality, its power kicking up dust as Megatron stepped out, "My master, it's been cycles since we've last stood face to face.", Starscream bowed at the pedes of the Decepticon leader.

"Why yes it has, and I see that your investigation has lead you here, to our latest battle with the Autobots. Poor shame that due to all this fighting, the very heart of Cybertron has ceased activation.", Megatron said, not even looking at Starscream.

"What do you mean! Is our planet really offline!?", Starscream coward.

"Yes, if you haven't noticed nearly half of our, and the Autobot forces have been taking to the stars. Scattering across solar systems… even Optimus has evaded my onslaughts on his remaining soldiers.", Megatron looked around at the countless sparkless bodies that scattered the floor. "A mass exodus is upon us, and we must make haste if we wish to hunt down Optimus Prime, and the rest of the Autobots.", Megatron explained.

"Um my liege, the bridge is still open.", Starscream mentioned.

"Oh yes, Doctor would you please.", Megatron hinted, as a deep purple mech with a single blaring red optic stepped out of the portal.

"I'd prefer Scientist my lord, it is a more logical title due to my field of study.", the purple mech explained.

"Of course Shockwave, excuse my title misplacement. And as for you Starscream, where this field medic, you oh so employed?", Megatron asked, scanning the area, only to lay sights on the red medic, sobbing over the remains of his lost loved one.

"You call this field medic material? I've seen medics tear into corpses, not shed tears for one!", Megatron glared at Starscream.

"Please let me explain my Liege!", Starscream ran up next to Knock-Out,

"This corpse is what remains of the medic's sister, they shared a sibling spark bond, similar to that of a conjux's attraction, thus causing his spark to ache.", Starscream assumed, sounding as logical as he can.

Raising an optic ridge, Megatron looked over to Shockwave to verify Starscream's statement, "His information is… logical.", Shockwave stated, walking over to the sobbing medic, and glaring at him with his solid red optic.

Shockwave stood staring at the ripped open chassis of the femme, the spark chamber professionally removed, as well as the head casket. All the cuts made on this frame, looked as if a professional did the work, "You are a field medic, as Starscream informed?", Shockwave asked, the now heavy venting medic.

"I am more than just a medic, I'm a Doctor… well was before everything went to scrap.", Knock-Out forced himself not to yell.

"I see, what was your profession? You don't look like the front line type.", Shockwave implied.

"I was a cosmetologist, I made you into a new you… and as for my sister…", Knock-Out looked at the corpse, "She was the real doctor…", Knock-Out signed.

Shockwave turned to his master, who looked rather impatient, "My liege, he is indeed a Doctor.", this statement made Knock-Out's optics widen.

 _{Does this mean I'm going to officially work for Megatron?}_ , Knock-Out thought, staring at his sister's remains, { _Then I'll take this advantage to avenge you, one way or another.}_ , Knock-Out spat to himself, gripping the dust under his servos.

Standing up from his saddened pose, Knock-Out turned around and bowed to his master, "I apologize for my actions my liege, my name is Knock-Out and I would be please to be apart of your medical staff.", Knock-Out revealed, without showing any sign of sadness on his faceplate, just a sinister grin.

"Doctor, mind me asking what are your strengths as a physician?", Megatron asked.

"My strengths are what I cannot destroy," Knock-Out took out his saw blade, "A little nip and a tuck, and you can look better than you.", Knock-Out chuckled, his optics blaring a hot red.

"You show promise, now tell me your assessments, on why all these corpses are absent of their sparks?", Megatron grinned.

"Well after analyzing what was left of my dear sister,", Knock-Out stared emotionless at Tap-Out's corpse, "It would seem to be act of one or more professional 'Spark Stealers'." Knock-Out stared, showing the three Decepticons the fine cuts on the corpse.

Megatron's faceplate had a scowl, "A few cycles ago, Soundwave had given me a report that our medical flagship, known as the Immortal, has disappeared off radar.", Megatron sneered, "Leading me to assume that this was just a mire pit stop, for the lead doctor's malicious intents. Am I correct Shockwave?", Megatron asked the purple scientist.

"Your assessment is logical. The Immortal is the main flagship for medical staff, which is governed by Rigor Mortis.", Shockwave stated.

"Rigor Mortis?", both Starscream and Knock-Out asked unison, then both a scowling at each other.

"An infamous Decepticon scientist, known throughout the medical records, as being a visionary in the art of reanimating the deactivated, and giving new life to those who neared entering the Allspark.", Megatron informed, "In fact, we're standing in the presence of one successful reincarnation.", Megatron hinted towards Shockwave, making everyone freeze.

"Indeed, our master's statement is logical. I was on the brink of being one with the Allspark, but Rigor Mortis came to my aid, resuscitated me, and rebuilt my frame from scratch.", Shockwave informed, in his monotone voice.

"That's fairly impressive, but that still doesn't explain why both spark chamber and processors have been removed?", Knock-Out pointed out.

"Simple logic, if the spark is damaged the most logical way to fix it, is by transferring it to a new chamber, that is also the same with transferring processors. I was the product of transferring processors into a new drive, crafted by Rigor Mortis. While my spark chamber only needed a patch job.", Shockwave informed, making only Starscream look like the most uneducated one there.

"Ingenious, but yet impractical.", Megatron grinned.

"How so my lord?", Shockwave inquired.

"The outcome may be impressive, but the process is tedious, and lacks complete research. Resulting in the failure of many experiments, you happened to still online when the procedure was done, Rigor Mistor has failed to demonstrate that process, and has failed to prove that they could revive the deactivated. However, I've found a more practical way of raising the dead, a way that I could command countless of soldiers with just my willpower alone.", Megatron expressed.

"You don't mean…", Knock-Out began.

"Dark Energon?!", Starscream gasped, making Megatron nod with agreement.

"My lord, no need to elude your fascinations with such a mystical object, but I deem relying on Dark Energon is quite illogical.", Shockwave stated.

"Enlighten me Shockwave, I'd really like to hear your assessments.", Megatron grinned.

"Dark Energon is nothing more than a legend, an illogical rumor that doesn't hold any scientific evidence, nor does it even compare to that of Rigor Mortis' research of resurrecting the deactivated.", Shockwave stated.

"Oh and that is where you are fail to comprehend…"

Megatron and Shockwave continued to argue over the existence of dark energon, while Knock-Out and Starscream stool idly by, watching as scientist and warlord argue.

"So, do you higher up always end up in an argument?", Knock-Out asked, looking up at Starscream.

"Not really, but recently our master has been on edge, I believe that it may be due to the current state of Cybertron… and the escape of Optimus Prime.", Starscream sneered.

"Where ever do you think the Autobots escaped to?", Knock-Out asked, trying to keep his mind off his sister.

"The Pits should I know, maybe some distant world, or another galaxy by all things.", Starscream shrugged.

"Well why not interrogate the remaining Autobots that scatter Cybertron?", Knock-Out hinted.

"What are you on about?", Starscream asked.

"Simple, we use what is available.", Knock-Out walked over to the dark red medic's corpse. "By falsely transmitting this Autotbot's life signal, we'll lure them to us, or we can try to tap into the Autobot's com signal to monitor radio chatter.", Knock-Out informed.

"Are you sure you want to desecrate your sister's body even more?", Starscream asked, in a low tone.

Knock-Out took a deep vent, his optics blaring a deeper red, null and void of all sympathy, "As I see it, whatever made this frame my sister, has been completely destroyed. All it is… is just an Autobot corpse, and I'm doing my part of 'aiding' the Decepticon cause.", Knock-Out said, without a single vent.

"That's very… valiant of you, except in order to really impress your superiors, I advise that you were to change your perspective on your vehicle mode.", Starscream imputed.

"Excuse me?", Knock-Out asked, while he detached the com-link from the corpse.

"Oh it's just that, flight has many more advantages than being on the ground.", Starscream implied.

"Please due tell… NOT!", Knock-Out mocked, making the seeker angry.

However, before Starscream could do back talk the red mech, Megatron and Shockwave stopped arguing, "Starscream!", Megatron commanded.

"Y-yes my liege!", Starscream scrabbled.

"I'm leaving.", Megatron looked off into the distance.

"What was that?", Starscream asked concerned.

"I'm leaving to find something that has peaked my interest, so I'm leaving you in charge, understand? I want you to dispatch the Nemesis, and pick up as many troops as you can, and find Optimus Prime, and the rest of his useless pawns.", Megatron implied.

"As you wish my liege. I'll lead the Decepticons in your absence.", Starscream bowed, with a smirk in his face.

"Watch him while in gone.", Megatron hinted to Shockwave, which made Starscream scowl.

"As you wish my liege.", Shockwave bowed. Within that instance, Megatron transformed into a Cybertronian jet, taking to the stars.

With an optic roll, Starscream turned to look at the red mech, "I do hope your right about using that com-link to detect Autobot signals.", Starscream remarked.

"What are you two conversing about?", Shockwave inquired.

"Well, by using this Autobot com-link, our new Doctor has devised a plan, to scan the Autobot radio chatter to discover the location of Optimus Prime.", Starscream informed, before Knock-Out could speak.

"I find your plan logical, we must immediately take action, for us to achieve this goal.", Shockwave stated.

"Good, glad we see optic to optics.", Starscream smirked, "Soundwave, open up a bridge, and prep the medical bay for our new Doctor.", Starscream ordered.

"Commander, I hope you don't mind me asking, if it's alright for me to go fetch someone to be my assistant?", Knock-Out asked.

"I hope you don't mind if I assign you an assistant, doctor.", Starscream grinned, as the bridge opened in front of them.

"After you.", Knock-Out glared at the seeker, a clear scowl on his faceplate.

* * *

 _ **{Aboard the Nemesis- The Great Exodus}**_

After a meeting with Soundwave, Shockwave, and Starscream, regarding his plan to locate the Autobots, Knock-Out was escorted to his new station. The walk over to the med bay, made him think about not only the unknown assistant he was stuck with, but also what Megatron informed him about.

 _{Reviving the deactivated with an empty spark chamber and blank drives, how could anything like that be possible?}, the red doctor sighed, {I'd better study this, just in case I need to refer back to this subject.}_ , Knock-Out thought, while the two Eradicons lead him into the med bay.

Not even noticing his assistant, Knock-Out walked over to the console over in the next room and started to look up files. In the midst of his work, he heard a knock on the wall, "What an I? Chopped low grade?", a familiar voice chimed.

"Break…", Knock-Out's optics widened, "down…", Knock-Out finish, staring at the scarlet faceplate of his conjux.

"Hey, it's been awhile Doc, I see that you were transferred to the Nemesis. Why wasn't I given word of your promotion?", Breakdown smiled.

Knock-Out immediately got up from his seat and ran into Breakdown, being around someone he knew made him feel online again. Being away from his conjux, made him feel like the loneliest mech, in all of this dead planet. Now that they are together, his spark finally got the relief he needed, however it still ached for his sister... for his family.

"Hey, what's wrong Knock-Out? It's not like we were separate for long, this time.", Breakdown laughed.

"I know… but it's great to be with my family again…", Knock-Out sighed, Breakdown holding him close.

 _{Even if you're my only one left.}_ , Knock-Out thought.  
…

"Do they have oil baths and buffers here? My finish is borderline atrocious…", Knock-Out mumbled, making Breakdown smile.

"Of course they do…", Breakdown sighed, together at last.

* * *

 **End of chapter notes:** _Okay let me hear it... weird right? Well, to me, after editing it, and reading over it... yeah my skool self had some weird stories to tell, and I'm kinda glad that I was able to type it all up, and share it. Also I apologize if there are some grammar mistakes, if any... I kinda have a little bit of an oversight issue, so don't hammer me down cuz of a few mistakes... because I'm my own editor... so I hope you enjoyed this chapter, see you in the next! **Thank you** for reading!_

 _ps... um I named Knock-Out's sister Tap-Out cuz I thought it sounded cool... and I am aware that there is a G1 character by the same name , but I kinda didn't know that back then, and I could've changed her name, but I thought, NAW. So I kept the name I originally thought sounded best, and I hope you guys like it. Other than that please leave a comment on what you think, I like feedback!_


	5. TFP: Sparkless Ch5: Iridescent

**Disclaimer** **:** _I do not own any of the Transformers characters in the TFP series, nor do I claim ownership of any_ _kind towards anything trademarked. This story is just for fun, and isn't connected towards the true lore behind the franchise. The only things I own are the OCs._

 **Author's Note:** _I'm a very huge fan of the Transformers franchise, and my absolute favorite series is Transformers Prime. I mean I can watch the whole series any freaking time that I want! I've already watched it 5 times on Netflix, and that's not counting the other times I've watched it on the HUB... sadly when the HUB died, I figured that was the end of this series being on TV, and I was right. Also, I wasn't at all satisfied with Robots in Disguise, to me it was a sad reminder that a good series always was a terrible follow up series... it's just bound to happen... So here I am typing up a story that I've been sitting on for a VERY long time, I have been avoiding publishing this since the series ended in 2013... yeah I had the whole thing in a notebook that I kept with me, and I gotta say I've still got a ton of grammar mistakes that need to be adjusted. So yes the story is 100% completed, all I gotta do is type up the whole thing, and post it here. Also to address, if the format looks weird, it's because I use Google docs, and refuse to purchase dis stupid Office, cuz I'm cheap and like free things._

 _ **also to note:** this story does contain OCs, and a complete story change... yes I actually re-wrote the story, and that also means I changed the past, leading up to this point. You'll soon find out what I changed, and how some parts actually reflect other Transformer's series, and comic books. I mean, I've read some of the comic books, and I'm vaguely familiar with the real cannon lore, but I kinda scrapped all that and made my own, by using those stories as inspiration fuel. Huehuehue please don't hate me because I re-wrote the story to my liking... yeah...whelp I won't keep you reading my random words anymore... just go and read the story... (O_o)_

 _ **An Update note:**_ _Whoo hooo Chapter 5! Not even close to the end hehehehehehehe... I hoped you like the previous chapters... well of you didn't like the first chapters then you wouldn't be here reading this one! The weirder the better right? And it does get weird! Yeah! So I hope you enjoy this chapter!_

* * *

 **Chapter 5: Iridescent**

 _ **{present day, The Nemesis}  
**_  
Knock-Out's red ring optics began to flicker on, a dim light flooded his vision, as he became aware of his surroundings. With a deep vent, he pushed himself off the medical berth.

"Feels like I drank too much high grade…", Knock-Out mumbled.

"I figured you'd say something like that.", a deep voice caught him off guard.

"Dreadwing…", Knock-Out rubbed his helm, "What are you doing in my med bay?", Knock-Out asked, a bit groggy.

"After the incident on board the Immortal, I was forced to carry both you and that femme, back to the Nemesis.", Dreadwing said, in a grumbling tone.

"What femme are you talking- ABOUT!", Knock-Out turned only to lay sights on the Crimson femme, causing his spark to literally flicker.

"Have your drives malfunctioned? Do you recall anything that happened 12 cycles ago?", Dreadwing inquired.

"What! I've been in power down for 15 hours!", Knock-Out gasped, getting up from the berth.

"If you're choosing to use this planet's time units, then yes… and I was placed in charge of monitoring you, by our master.", Dreadwing grumbled.

"Well I don't need your 'monitoring' anymore! Get out of my med bay!", Knock-Out tried to shoo Dreadwing out, but he stood his ground.

"Our master also ordered me, to inform him once you awoke.", Dreadwing stated.

"For what purpose?", Knock-Out crossed his servos.

"Regarding the only Autobot within this vessel.", Dreadwing hinted.

Knock-Out looked over to his sister, still in power down, _{How are you even alive Tap-Out… I knew that deactivated frame was you… that crimson sheen is only unique to you… but there's something pulling at my spark-}, Knock-Out's knees began to buckle, {_ _Knock-Out~~}_ , a cold sensation enveloped his very being, fear stabbing through his spark.

"Knock-Out what is the matter? Is it your sibling sparkbond?", Dreadwing asked, but the red mech gave no answer.

Suddenly, the red mech's optics began to flicker... everything began to be swallowed in darkness, the last thin Knock-Out saw, was a pair of solid red optics.

* * *

 _ **{Meanwhile, at the Autobot base, 15 hours ago}**_ _  
_  
Ratchet and the children, watched as the group of Autobots walked into the base, "Where's Wheeljack?", Ratchet asked in an angry tone.

"Went solo again, but he was kind enough to drop us off.", Arcee stated.

"Aww man.", Miko shouted.

"So how did your mission go?", Jack asked.

"Yeah did anything happen?", Raf followed.

"Did you guys kick Decepticon aft?!", Miko exclaimed, doing a kick and a punch to the air.

"We did kick aft, but we failed to secure the downed ship.", Bulkhead answered.

"Wait the beacon thingy lead to a ship wreck!? Awe man that sounds wicked!", Miko exclaimed.

Optimus was the last to walk in, his faceplate held a serious look, "I believe that it is time for the children to go home, Ratchet would you please.", the red and blue mech ordered.

"Aw man it's not even a school night.", Miko whined.

"Yeah and it's not even late yet.", Raf sighed.

"Yap yap!", Ratchet intervened, "You heard Optimus.", Ratchets nagged.

"Come on you guys, you can stay at my house tonight.", Jack waved at Miko and Raf, who followed him through the ground bridge.

Once the teens left, the red and white doctor, looked over to the group of Autobots, "So, what happened?", Ratchet asked, crossing his arms.

*beedodee weeedodididiiii doooowwoo*, Bumblebee be began.

"You were aboard the Immortal! Tell me was there anything left, like medical kits?", Ratchet asked.

"No the Cons beat us to it, stripped the ship of anything important… then they blew it sky high.", Bulkhead explained.

"They destroyed the whole flagship!?", Ratchet gasped.

"Yeah, but before they did I ran into Dreadwing, he was carrying Knock-Out and an unknown red femme.", Arcee informed.

"Was this the information you wanted to talk to us about?", Optimus asked.

Nodding the blue femme walked over towards the old doctor, "I wanted to talk about this to Ratchet.", Arcee stated.

"You said that Dreadwing was carrying not only Knock-Out but a red femme? Did you get a good glimpse of her?", Ratchet walked over to his console.

"Yes, she was a darker red than Knock-Out, had also the same helm shape, she had silver and white details… and I think she had wings… and-", Arcee stopped story, putting a servo on her chin.

"What is it?", Ratchet asked.

"I don't know, but something about her frame doesn't add up to me. She had wings, but I swear she also had tires…", Arcee thought.

"Are you implying that this femme is in fact a Triple Changer?", Ratchet asked.

"A triple changer is no laughing matter, with advantages of both air and ground, they could potentially use that ability to gain the upper hand.", Optimus informed.

"Yeah and the Cons have one!", Bulkhead exclaimed.

*weee nooooo!*, Bumblebee buzzed.

"Don't jump to conclusions Bumblebee, we aren't even sure if that unknown femme was a triple changer. Now if you let the computer work, maybe it can identify that red- uh what's this?", Ratchet questioned, as the monitor finished scanning the only archives they have.

Slowly the green and yellow screen started to form and image, based on Arcee's descriptions of the red femme. The image that was displayed shocked Ratchet to his very core, "It cannot be… Tap-Out?", Ratchet looked closer at the monitor, baffled at the results.

"Who's Tap-Out?", Bulkhead asked.

"And why does she look kinda like, that fashion queen, Knock-Out?", Arcee imputed.

With a sigh, Ratchet looked at his fellow Autobots, his blue optics dimmed, "Tap-Out was an Autobot field medic back during the War of Cybertron, I had the privilege of working with her in many battles… and your assumption is correct Arcee, she was in fact the sister of Knock-Out...", Ratchet informed, his tone a bit low.

"Why do you speak of Tap-Out as if she is one with the Allspark?", Optimus asked.

"Because she is.", Ratchet walked passed the others, "Before she died, she sent a private message directly to me, stating that the Decepticons have whipped out the whole team she was apart of, and she couldn't do anything to save anyone. She told me that she was going to fight, till her last vent… and so she did…", Ratchet continued to walk away, "If you need me, I'm going to power down for awhile.", Ratchet stated, before walking towards his private quarters.

"Optimus, aren't you going to have a talk with him?", Arcee asked.

"No, Ratchet is more than capable of resolving issues on his own, and I know that he'll deal with this in due time.", Optimus implied, before walking off himself, "I'll be heading to my quarters to finish decrypting the Iacon database.", Optimus stated, before vanishing down the hallway, leaving the 3 Autobots by themselves.

* * *

 _ **{The Nemesis- current time}**_

Knock-Out was lying down on a medical berth, next to his sister, placed in a forced shut down, after he collapsed.

"How long has our doctor been like this?", Megatron asked.

"Since the Autobot was removed from stasis, I believe that seeing her has activated his sibling spark bond.", Dreadwing stated.

"Soundwave, is Dreadwing's accusation correct?", Megatron asked, to only get a nod in response.

"I see, however I need more than just an assessment, I need answers.", Megatron walked over to a cabinet,

"Soundwave, we need to enter Knock-Out's mind, to secure his sanity.", Megatron said, pulling out the Cortical Physic Patch,

"And I know the perfect Decepticon to do it.", Megatron smirked, handing the other end of the cord to Dreadwing.

"To no disrespect my master, but why do I have to undergo this procedure?", Dreadwing asked, analyzing the purple cord.

"Because, you have also experienced the loss of a sibling, maybe a little advice can clear out any negative emotions, our good doctor his experiencing.", Megatron necessitated, his voice still holding a sinister tone.

"As you wish my master, I'll make it my prime prerogative in securing Knock-Out's mental stability.", Dreadwing bowed, willingly laying down on the berth in between the two siblings.

"Don't worry about a thing Dreadwing, we'll be monitoring your progress, and if anything goes wrong, we'll be right here to aid you.", Megatron motioned towards Soundwave, who was already standing behind the berth ready to plug in the patch.

"I will not fail you my lord.", Dreadwing nodded, ready to enter Knock-Out's mind.

"Let's hope it goes as well as your confidence.", Megatron smirked, as Soundwave plugged in the patch.

* * *

 _ **{Inside Knock-Out's mind}  
**_

When Dreadwing opened his optics, he was no longer on the Nemesis, but rather back on Cybertron. The sun was nearly rising, as it peeped over the metal mountains in the distance. It was a beautiful sight, something Dreadwing though he'd never get to see again, but when he turned around, everything went to rust. Bodies were scattered all over the open plains of the planet, this was a scene Dreadwing was all too familiar with.

With each step, it was a different scene, a different story, a different reality, but he came to a stop when he was standing in the middle of a Cybertronian park. It was calm, because nobody was there… everything was still. He took another step, but this time nothing happened, the scene was stuck. The blue seeker began to walk around the unknown city, everything was pristine, new, and had a lustrous glow. However, being all alone in this made up city started to freak out the SIC, but just when he thought he'd go crazy in Knock-Out's unstable mind, he suddenly appeared in the hallways of the Nemesis.

"What kind of trickery is this!", Dreadwing yelled.

"Oh just a welcome to my brain party.", Knock-Out's voice echoed throughout the halls.

"What did you hope to achieve in making me doubt my sanity?!", Dreadwing growled.

"Oh please.", Knock-Out's disembodied voice boomed throughout the imaginary halls of the Nemesis, "Can't you take a joke.", Knock-Out teased, as his physical form walked out behind a corner.

"How were you aware of me entering your mind?", Dreadwing asked.

"I'm a doctor, and I'd do the same thing to myself, if I weren't… experiencing things.", Knock-Out waved a servo for Dreadwing to follow him.

"What are these things you are experiencing? And why aren't you fixing them yourself?", Dreadwing asked.

"I can't explain it but… I believe that my sister's spark is trying to tell me something.", Knock-Out explained, walking into the imaginary med bay.

"What do you mean?", Dreadwing asked, stopping at the entrance of the med bay, only to see an imaginary Breakdown, talking to Knock-Out, before leaving towards the back office.

"I've been feeling as if my spark is being rejected, my own feelings are betraying my own will.", Knock-Out sighed, crossing his arms, "And I think my sister is the reason... she's calling to me, it's like-"

"-like she's trapped, and since your spark and her spark are connected, you can feel her pain… I felt my twin's death, and I too was crippled by his agony.", Dreadwing mourned, "However, I didn't let his pain stop me from my task, and I now know that I can live without him always on my mind.", Dreadwing admitted.

"But I've lost more than just a sister… I've lost my family… my whole family…", Knock-Out looked towards the direction the imaginary Breakdown walked towards.

"Knock-Out… life is nothing but ups and downs, it's your choice if you choose to take the ride, or cut your way right through.", Dreadwing glared Knock-Out in the optics, "It's your life not theirs, it doesn't matter if they're family. It's your life, and you get to choose if you thrive or you rust. If I followed in my Brother's footsteps, I'd probably be in stasis, lost to deep space, but I chose to stay and hunt down the wreckers, and serve my master.", Dreadwing explained.

"How can I just forget the ones I've cared for?", Knock-Out mourned.

"And I'm not saying forget your family completely, use them as a motivation tool, not as a cane to lean on.", Dreadwing exclaimed.

"This is a side of you I never thought I'd ever see…", Knock-Out gazed back into Dreadwing's sympathetic optics.

"Don't get used to it, I was taught by my sire that showing sympathy, to subordinates can cause the strong to become soft.", Dreadwing stated.

"Duly noted, now how about we get back to reality.", Knock-Out chimed, only to be stopped.

"No, you have one last thing to deal with.", Dreadwing addressed.

"Please… I want to keep him in my spark… he's my only motivation…", Knock-Out cried.

"He's gone Knock-Out, you shouldn't be revolving your conscience around him.", Dreadwing sighed.

"He many be your motivation, but wrath is blinding, and I know that I too should listen to my own advice. Just remember, he'll always be with you, and watching you through the Allspark, and as for vengeance… it'll come for those who deserve it.", Dreadwing sympathized.

"I hope you're right, but I doubt that blasted Airachnid will perish that easily.", Knock-Out sneered, "But I will give you the benefit of the doubt, and try my best not to linger in my own pitty, but rather focus on other things, like my finish, and my sister.", the red mech smirked.

Nodding at the doctor, the blue seeker looked up into empty space, "My master, I'm ready to depart.", Dreadwing stated, and not before long he awoke to reality.

Megatron had a sinister grin on his faceplate, and he gazed down at Dreadwing, "I commend you on your efforts Dreadwing, now that you've settled Knock-Out's situation, I've got another assignment for you to investigate.", Megatron stated.

"What is my mission, my master?", Dreadwing asked, pushing himself off the berth.

"Soundwave has just notified me of a disturbance aboard my ship, I'm at the moment rather preoccupied with our medic, so I'm leaving it to you to investigate.", Megatron ordered.

"As you wish, my lord.", Dreadwing bowed his helm, before walking out of the medical bay.

"Soundwave wake up our medic, I've got some questions that beg to be answered fully.", Megatron commanded, with a serious look upon his faceplate, as he gazed at the power downed Knock-Out.

* * *

 _ **{Dreadwing}**_

Dreadwing trekked through the dim lighted halls of the Decepticon warship, his mind preoccupied with the imagery mind tricks he endured while in Knock-Out's conscience. However, something about what he saw, made him feel as if there has a hidden message behind the imagery he witnessed.

 _{Knock-Out's true nature seems to be more difficult to decipher that I initially thought. I still can't shake this uneasy feeling I've felt when inside his mine, it feels disturbing, and filled with a burning hate. I might need to keep a closer check on him, just to make sure what I felt was just a side effect of using the patch.}_., Dreadwing thought, walking by empty corridor after corridor.

"Commander Dreadwing!", and Eradicon yelled, breaking Dreadwing out of his thoughts.

"What is it? Does it have to deal with the unknown situation?", Dreadwing asked.

"Yes, it's Starscream sir. He's been discovered onboard the ship, after an alarm was set off.", the Eradicon explained.

"That coward has been sighted aboard the Nemesis?! Assemble the troops, scrub this vessel inside and out until Starscream is apprehended, and if any of the troops discover him, arrest him, and report back to me.", Dreadwing commanded, pulling out his blaster.

"Yes sir!", the Eradicon saluted, before running off.

 _{First we obtain Knock-Out's sibling, then Starscream is sighted aboard the Nemesis… this is proving to be one confusing solar cycle.}_ , Dreadwing though, as he patrolled the hallways of the Nemesis.

* * *

 _ **{Med Bay}**_

Knock-Out woke up to lights baring into his optics, he tried to get up from the berth, only to discover that his servos and pedes were securely fashioned to the berth, via plasma cuffs.

"My finish!", Knock-Out yelled, as he looked at his scuffed paint.

"No need about your paint job right now, good doctor.", Megatron sneered.

"What's the meaning of this my liege! Was it something I said?!", Knock-Out exclaimed.

"On the contrary, it was something you didn't say.", Megatron interrogated, "Tell me Knock-Out, is this indeed your sister? I do recall that she had fallen during battle, and was gudded for parts by Rigor Mortis. Nonetheless, here she is but with noticeable upgrades to her frame.", Megatron pointed out her being a triple changer.

"I-I don't know my lord…", Knock-out hesitated.

"Do you not share a spark bond with your own sibling? And don't tell me you don't, or you wouldn't have been crippled by uncontrollable emotions!", Megatron spat, making Knock-Out vent heavily.

"Yes we do share a bond my liege, but I feel emotions lurking just below, that I'm not familiar with. I can't describe it but I feel as if she isn't what she looks like…", Knock-Out's own words surprising him.

"So you're implying that your own sister, isn't what she appears to be?", Megatron asked, looking over at the femme.

"Can you awaken her from her slumber?", Megatron asked.

"Y-yes my lord.", Knock-Out exclaimed.

"Good see to it done.", Megatron commanded, releasing Knock-Out from the berth.

"Soundwave, stay here and help Knock-Out with anything he needs to awaken his sister, I've got a feeling that someone's about to regret a decision.", Megatron stated before walking out of the med bay.

* * *

 _ **{Dreadwing}**_

Dreadwing took every step with caution, he made sure to walk through every hallway, and check every crevasse to ensure that the traitorous seeker wouldn't get away. Then, before he thought he wouldn't find anything, something about a certain area made his sensors blare. Walking towards a storage room, he spotted fresh scrapes dug into the metal floor, and large dents pounded into the metal, indicating there was a fight. Walking of towards the storage room, he noticed that the door wasn't closed fully, strange because all the doors on the Nemesis were automatic.

Once the automatic door opened, Dreadwing caught sights of a familiar figure, "Starscream.", Dreadwing sneered, getting a closer look at the seeker, only to find that his frame was beaten to scrap.

Without saying a word, Dreadwing knelt down to examine the fatal wounds inflicted upon the downed seeker. Squinting his red optics, Dreadwing glared at the expressionless faceplate of Starscream, { _Who extinguished your spark…}_ , Dreadwing thought to himself, before realizing that the attacker was using a circular blunt weapon, based on the impact marks.

"Bulkhead… but how?", Dreadwing asked himself out loud, before getting a call.

"Commander Dreadwing, Starscream has been discovered in the vicinity of the bridge.", an Eradicon informed, making Dreadwing look confused at the offline seeker.

"Forward this news to Lord Megatron, I've discovered that there might be another intruder aboard this vessel, Dreadwing out.", he stated, still gazing at Starscream's corpse.

"I don't know what you're trying to achieve traitor, but I've got a feeling that you pose no threat to us.", Dreadwing growled, before noticing fresh scrapes that seemed to be leading towards the power core. With a sneer, the SIC trekked his way towards the power core, awaiting whatever the outcome.

* * *

 _ **End of Chapter Notes:**_ So this is basically 'flying Mind' but not the same plot... yup this is when I start to rewrite everything, and that means it gets weirder, and I hope that you like weird, cuz by the end of this story you'll look more like (O-o) than (^v^), cuz right now after all this editing I'm like this (O_o'). So please leave your feedback, I enjoy being told I'm great as much as I like being told I'm a blasted piece of scrap that should be smelted. And **Thank you** for reading my weird story!

ps. if there are any grammar mistakes, just an FYI I do update chapters and fix whatever is messed up. So that's my courtesy to you, the reader, so you can have a smooth reading experience. Also you may hint at any grammar errors left unchecked, but don't shoot me in the face with it. 3


	6. TFP: Sparkless Ch6: Remembrance

**Disclaimer** **:** _I do not own any of the Transformers characters in the TFP series, nor do I claim ownership of any_ _kind towards anything trademarked. This story is just for fun, and isn't connected towards the true lore behind the franchise. The only things I own are the OCs._

 **Author's Note:** _I'm a very huge fan of the Transformers franchise, and my absolute favorite series is Transformers Prime. I mean I can watch the whole series any freaking time that I want! I've already watched it 5 times on Netflix, and that's not counting the other times I've watched it on the HUB... sadly when the HUB died, I figured that was the end of this series being on TV, and I was right. Also, I wasn't at all satisfied with Robots in Disguise, to me it was a sad reminder that a good series always was a terrible follow up series... it's just bound to happen... So here I am typing up a story that I've been sitting on for a VERY long time, I have been avoiding publishing this since the series ended in 2013... yeah I had the whole thing in a notebook that I kept with me, and I gotta say I've still got a ton of grammar mistakes that need to be adjusted. So yes the story is 100% completed, all I gotta do is type up the whole thing, and post it here. Also to address, if the format looks weird, it's because I use Google docs, and refuse to purchase dis stupid Office, cuz I'm cheap and like free things._

 _ **also to note:** this story does contain OCs, and a complete story change... yes I actually re-wrote the story, and that also means I changed the past, leading up to this point. You'll soon find out what I changed, and how some parts actually reflect other Transformer's series, and comic books. I mean, I've read some of the comic books, and I'm vaguely familiar with the real cannon lore, but I kinda scrapped all that and made my own, by using those stories as inspiration fuel. Huehuehue please don't hate me because I re-wrote the story to my liking... yeah...whelp I won't keep you reading my random words anymore... just go and read the story... (O_o)_

 _ **An Update note:** This is an important statement, I'll try to post two chapters at a time, or maybe less depending on the amount of editing needed to correct all grammar errors in my notebook, some chapters might take longer to adjust then some. Other than that, I hope that you enjoy the story, and let me just say things get WAY MORE interesting. So put on dat TFP soundtrack and read on!_

* * *

 **Chapter 6: Remembrance**

After plugging in many medical tubes to Tap-Out's frame, Knock-Out could fully assess the problems of her stasis shock. By the looks of it, it appeared that the Stasis pod she was in, required fluid to be pumped throughout her systems before undergoing the prolonged shut down.

"Soundwave, by chance did you download any files referring to the chemical compounds required for prolonged cryo stasis?", Knock-Out asked, only to get a nod in response.

"Good, if you don't mind, could you download your findings to my console, I need to deconstruct the formula to extract the antidote for over exposure.", Knock-Out requested.

"Oh, you already have the antidote?", Knock-Out looked over to Soundwave who walked over to the supplies, that was retrieved from the Immortal, and pulled out a pink glowing capsule.

"I see that they were prepared for over exposure, would you mind transferring that into an energon transfuser?", Knock-Out pointed to the device, before going back to examining his sister.

 _{I've never thought I'd be your physician Tap-Out, I just hope you don't try to bang up my finish, once you awaken.}_ , Knock-Out thought, when he was handed the energon transfuser, from Soundwave.

Once the pink fluid was injected into Tap-Out's fuel lines, Knock-Out saw an instant difference in Tap-Out's overall vital signs. The red doctor was overjoyed to see that his sister's stasis shock was clearing up, as the flow of energon started to fully recover. Then he heard something, looking down he noticed that one of her servos started to flinch, along with a slight movement of her helm.

"Tap-Out?", Knock-Out asked, now standing next to her, looking down at her twitching faceplate. The sound of her vents was, in all, an indication of her becoming conscience. "Tap-Out can you hear me?", Knock-Out pleaded, hoping that the sound of his voice could quicken her awakening.

Then vents became steady, as Knock-Out caught a glimpse of a luminous violet peeping through, the opening slits of her optics. "Tap-Out?", Knock-Out asked, as her optics fluttered open, but to Knock-Out's shock they weren't the same red and blue optics they once were, but a deep violet.

The femme glared into Knock-Out's red ringed optics, not a single sign of emotion written on her faceplate, "Tap-Out are you okay?", Knock-Out hesitated to talk, but the femme didn't reply. Knock-Out began to stress and turned away from the femme and towards the console, hasty trying to figure out what was wrong with is sister.

"Alright there must've been a miscalculation with the formula, she looks like she's stuck in some sort of frozen state, maybe if I were to-", Knock-Out was then cut off by Soundwave, who pointed at Tap-Out, who was sitting up on the berth, with one servo gripping the side of the berth, and the other rubbing her helm.

"Sister, is your voice box functional? Can you say anything?", Knock-Out asked.

Tap-Out looked at Knock-Out, her optics rotating as she focused on his concerned faceplate, "Knock…Out?", she mumbled, as her optics got adjusted to the lighting.

* * *

 _ **{Meanwhile- Power Core}**_

All was still aboard the Nemesis, as if this was merely the calm before the storm. Dreadwind trekked through the empty halls, optics following the fresh scrapes, making sure that he doesn't go off track. Today was seeming to be a fairly interesting, maybe too many surprises of anyone to comprehend, but Dreadwing had a mission to complete. Subsequently, just as he reached his destination, the sound of blaster fire came the direction of the bridge.

"I have my own mission to complete.", Dreadwing growled at himself, walking into the power core.

Everything seemed normal, the core was working at top proficiency, however Dreadwing could sense that all was not right. Not wanting to alert the possible intruder, the blue seeker put his knowledge of stealth to use.

Watching from a safe, distance he noticed a large figure at the very top of the core, "I knew it.", Dreadwing whispered to himself, sneaking faster towards the intruder.

* * *

Bulkhead looked around the area, he's had a very rough and confusing day, dealing with trying not to be detected by the cons… and also that fatal fight he had with Starscream, only to over hear that he was still alive. Nonetheless, he wanted off the Nemesis, however that doesn't mean he couldn't give Megatron and his followers a little surprise.

"One way or another, I'm getting off this boat.", Bulkhead stated as he readied his mace. Then, just as he launched himself towards the core, he was instantly hit with the blunt force of Dreadwing, in his jet mode. Bulkhead who was immensely dazed, was being carried out of the core room. He clung onto the blue seeker for dear life, due to Dreadwing flying recklessly down the halls of the Nemesis.

"Thought you could cripple our ship? Nice try Autobot!", Dreadwing mocked, making his way towards the flight deck.

Once at the open hanger doors, Dreadwing launched Bulkhead through the air, making his large frame scrape across the metal deck, until he came to a stop at Megatron's pedes. The gunmetal mech looked down at another surprise, that made the scowl on his faceplate deepen with rage.

Transforming, Dreadwing landed in a kneeling posture, "My apologies my master, I wasn't aware that you were out here…", Dreadwing then noticed all of the Insecticons, causing him to pull out his cannon, and take a defensive stance.

"No need to fret Dreadwing, it seems that due to unknown circumstances, we have made advancements to our armada.", Megatron beckoned to the bowing Insecticons, "And I see that you've also brought me an Autobot, Bulkhead is it?", Megatron looked at the wrecker, who was completely at the mercy of the 'Cons.

"Yes my lord, I caught this Autobot trying to attempt to compromise our power core.", Dreadwing informed.

"I see, and I commend you on this endeavor. However I was told that you forwarded the original transmission regarding Starscream to me, why was that?", Megatron asked.

"My deepest apologies my master, I forwarded it due to me focusing on this specific task. Also I discovered the beaten remains of Starscream, and followed a trail of evidence, that ultimately lead to this Autobot.", Dreadwing informed.

Megatron just grinned at his SIC, whose loyalty towards his true master, has truly made his day, "Good to hear that someone on this ship has some common sense, now for this Autobot… take him in for interrogation.", Megatron praised, disbanding his new armada to do about their business.

However, before Dreadwing could walk off with Bulkhead, Megatron beckoned him to pause, "Oh and Dreadwing, if this Autobot doesn't disclose us any good information, please dispose of him, and make it hurt.", the warlord grinned.

"As you wish my lord.", the blue seeker bowed, making Bulkhead's optics shake. For the wrecker knew, this might be his last mission... his last few cycles to be online.

* * *

 _ **{Meanwhile- Med bay}**_

The med bay lights began to flicker, for a reason only Soundwave knew, as Knock-Out tended to his sister, "Knock-Out…", Tap-Out repeated, staring dazed into her brother's optics.

"Everything will be alright, now I need to run more tests to ensure that your stasis shock is completely gone.", Knock-Out informed, trying to convince his sister to lie back on the berth.

"Stasis shock", Tap-Out asked.

"Yes, you've been in cryogenic sleep for eons.", Knock-Out informed, as slowly as he could.

"But that's impossible, aren't I one with the Allspark?", Tap-Out shook her helm.

Knock-Out stopped what he was doing, servos clenched into tight fist, as he tried to fight the will to sob, "Sister…", Knock-Out said dryly, "Do you remember anything that happened… before you were... before you were deactivated?", Knock-Out shuttered.

Tap-Out's optics swelled, the vibrate purple that replaced her original colors, looked more pink as they glowed with sadness, "So I did die…", Tap-Out whimpered.

"Possibly...but do you remember anything that happened before?", Knock-Out repeated his question.

"N...Yes…", Tap-Out sighed, her optics squinting, "And I wish i didn't."

"What happened?", Knock-Out asked.

"If you really want to know, then you tell me how, and where you found me first.", Tap-Out looked up at her brother.

 _{Always wanting to know the other details first... at least I know I can entrust that you haven't changed...}_ , the red mech thought.

Nodding his helm, "Lord Megatron was investigating a distress beacon, that came from this planet's moon, which lead to them discovering a downed Decepticon medical flagship, known as the Immortal.", Knock-Out informed.

"You found me aboard the Immortal?!", Tap-Out immediately grabbed her helm in agony, falling back on the berth.

"Soundwave! Help me!", Knock-Out ordered, trying to hold his sister down, as he tried to stop her from causing self harm. Soundwave who was in the middle of receiving an order form Megatron, ran over towards the berth, to help restrain the screaming femme.

"She's experiencing a drive crash of some sort, that I cannot determine, but it's something that I've never seen before!", Knock-Out frowned, "Soundwave I need you to administer a power down sedative, the injector his right behind you.", Knock-Out ordered, trying his best to calm down his sister, who was experiencing a catastrophic amount of pain.

"I'm sorry Tap-Out…", Knock-Out whimpered, while she was succumbed by the sedative, rushing through her fuel lines.

Tap-Out's optics slowly faded, the sound of her venting slowly reduced to small huffs, as she was succumbed to power down. Knock-Out looked down at the slumbering femme, servos shaking from the shock he was experiencing, from what he just witnessed. The red mech, felt his spark shuttering from the reality that his sister was in worse shape that he initially thought.

 _{It must be the inner drives, something must've been damaged while she was in cryo.}_ , Knock-Out thought to himself, walking over to his console.

"Thank you Soundwave for your assistance, you're free to go… I'm better off alone right now…", Knock-Out dismissed, making adjustments to the berth, so he could plug in vital tubes, and brainwave monitors.

However, Soundwave didn't leave, he walked over to the berth, and started puggling in tubes, and cords into Tap-Out, "I see… I'm being monitored. If this our master's orders, then who am I to disobey…", Knock-Out said dryly, realizing his current position.

[Statement: You shouldn't blame yourself. Emotions will make your work sloppy], Soundwave transmissioned to the doctor, as he adjusted some of the cables that were put in the wrong location.

Knock-Out who was not in the mood for Soundwave's foresight, glared at the masked mech, with burning red optics that could be equal to that of Megatron's. Nonetheless, he continued to connect the cables, staring back at the monitor for any readings of the crashing drives, but nothing.

"Soundwave, would you please connect the spark monitor for me, I'm going to look through the supplies that was brought aboard from the Immortal, maybe there are more drive crash detectors.", Knock-Out stated, before he left.

 _{That accursed Soundwave, who does he think he is telling me that my emotions are irrelevant? She's my sister, my only family, and I have the right to be emotional…}_ , Knock-Out stopped his search, his red optics dimming, recalling what Dreadwing told him while they were patched.

Knock-Out's vents became shaky, he felt as if his spark was being ripped right out of his chassis. Gripping his chest plate, the red doctor couldn't comprehend the feelings he was having, "Blast it to the pits!", Knock-Out sneered to himself, holding onto the storage shelves, as support.

"Oh Breakdown, I really wish you were here right now… you'll know what to do…", Knock-Out frowned, foreshamed that he doesn't know what's happening to Tap-Out... watch's happening to him...

For a long 3 minutes Knock-Out stood unmoving, gripping his chassis, while his spark throbbed aggressively, just below his chest plate. Flinching with every vent, Knock-Out wasn't aware of the instances, that recently occurred, aboard the Nemesis, nor did he even care, all he cared about was maintaining his composure. However, he couldn't stand the pain that his spark was causing him, not even turning off his pain receptors helped in curing his spark aches.

"I'm just going to have to live with this…", Knock-Out spat, trying to stand on his own, without the aid of the shelf.

Hyper venting, Knock-Out was able to stand, but the pain just gained a whole new extreme, causing the red mech to close his optics in agony. Turning off his entire pain network helped only a tad, but now the pain was slightly manageable. Trekking out of the storage room, was no easy feat, for each step was like being shocked by a prod. Making his way back into the examination room, Knock-Out noticed that Soundwave was standing still in front of the vital sign monitors.

"Is there something wrong?", Knock-Out shuddered, looking at the slender mech.

Soundwave looked over towards the red mech, and displayed something on his visor that could only be explained as :O.

"What do you mean it detected two?", Knock-Out asked, walking over to the display screen, "There must be a malfunction, or a misplaced cable.", Knock-Out speculated, typing away in the monitor's displayed keyboard.

"What? How do you even know of this possibility? I'm the doctor here-", Knock-Out stopped, as heard the spark monitor.

Both Cons looked at the screen, as it displayed two separate spark beats, each at their own pace, and both completely different. Knock-Out couldn't believe what he was seeing, and he could guess that Soundwave was just as bewildered.

"We should inform Lord Megatron about this…", Knock-Out said out loud.

"Inform me about what, Knock-Out?", a deep disgruntled voice, came from the behind the two mechs, his red optics looking around the med bay, and ultimate focusing on the red femme lying on the berth.

* * *

 _ **{Meanwhile- Autobot base}**_

The Autobots finally returned from their mission, walking through the ground bridge, along with Airachnid, who is now trapped within an insecticon stasis pod. Ratchet was the first to approach Arcee, for she had the look of anger written deep on her faceplate.

"She deserves worse.", he commented.

"I intended worse, more times than you know.", Arcee replied, with a slight sneer.

"You are strong for the choice you made.", Optimus stated, approaching the blue femme, who just gave a sincere smile at the prime.

*Bweee reee bwoooozeeeeiiii?*, Bumblebee buzzed at Ratchet.

"That's a good question.", Ratchet acknowledged, walking towards the Autobot life signal detector.

"Well that's odd…", Ratchet mused, looking up at the green screen.

"What's the matter?", Arcee asked, walking up next to Ratchet and Bumblebee.

"Bulkhead hasn't reported back from his scouting mission yet, and I now know why.", Ratchet stated, pulling up Bulkhead's profile, with no trace of his life signal anywhere on the map.

All the Autobots in the room just stopped dead, optics looking up at the screen with shock, "Bulkhead has gone completely off radar, nothing absolutely nothing…", Ratchet gasped.

*Beee zooowee dededoo bwee bwee zooooi*, Bumblebee mentioned.

"Maybe he's right, maybe Bulkhead was captured by the 'Cons.", Arcee looked up at Optimus, whose blue optics squinted at the screen.

"The possibility of Bulkhead being captured by the Decepticons is highly probable, and it might be an indication to why Airachnid decide to launch her assault against Megatron.", Optimus hypothesized.

"So Bulkhead might've activated a beacon while onboard the Nemesis!", Arcee gasped.

"And in all likelihood he could be either trapped aboard, without the Decepticons knowing, or being interrogated as we speak.", Ratchet shuddered.

"Optimus what do we do?", Arcee asked, her blue and pink optics glowing dimly.

"The only possible course of action, we must infiltrate the Nemesis.", Optimus proposed.

"And how do you expect us to do that?", Ratchet asked, "We have no means of locating the Nemesis, nor do we possess any knowledge of Bulkhead's current situation.", Ratchet addressed.

*Stweeezooowiii*, Bumblebee buzzed.

"Starscream?", Ratchet scoffed, "Why in all of primus would Starscream help us? Yeah we helped him many times before, but he'll never return the favor.", Ratchet remarked.

"I sympathize with you, but if Starscream is our best shot at saving Bulkhead, then by all means give the coward a call.", Arcee scoffed, reminded of how much pain Starscream has caused her, and her team.

"But what's going to be our trigger? Our bargaining tool to gain Starscream's trust?", Ratchet asked.

*Beeeedeeedooooweeeiiiii zoooeewii zoooiweiii!*, Bumblebee buzzed walking over towards a few cases of energon, and picked up a cube.

"Bargaining with Energon? Optimus?", Ratchet asked.

"Our scout may have an idea, due to Starscream being separated from the Decepticons, his fuel supply is near unobtainable.", Optimus acknowledged.

"So feed the ex-con and hope he knows how to get aboard the Nemesis, solid plan. Good work Bee.", Arcee complimented, making the scout buzz nervously.

* * *

 _ **{Meanwhile- The Harbinger}**_

Starscream leaned against the metallic walls of dark protoform laboratory, gripping his chassis, due to the pain he inflicted on his traitorous clone, which however ended up hurting himself. The seeker cursed under his vents, for not foreseeing this failure of an assassination attempt, and the might of his ex-master. Nonetheless, he needed fuel, and a t-cog replacement, but without a doctor or any knowledge of installing the vial organ, Starscream was down on his luck.

"Why of all things, am I forced to deal with such misfortunes.", Starscream looked over at the offlined clone.

"And as for you… at least your not starving.", Starscream glared at the still form, with dim optics.

The ex-con was beginning to doubt his decisions, but be as it so, his internal com-link began to flare, "What! An encrypted signal? But how!?", Starscream gasped.

 _[Starscream, we have a bargain to strike with you. In exchange for a disclosed amount of Energon, we desire the current location of the Nemesis. If you choose to make a deal, message us back, and meet up at these coordinates for further information. If you choose to alter our deal, we'll be willing to compensate you, unless your request is beyond our capabilities. In another note, make some adjustments to your security protocols.] _

Starscream grew a sinister grin upon his faceplate, and glared at the lifeless protoform, "My, my looks like my luck has changed after all.", Starscream laughed, staring at the lifeless form, he suddenly dove his claw like servo into the clone's torso, pulling out a nearly intact t-cog.

"Maybe they'll compensate me for the other times I helped them, by adding a bonus to my reward.", Starscream smiled, as he pulled out a remote for the Harbinger's ground bridge.

"Oh I can feel my luck changing!", Starscream laughed hysterically, walking through the portal.

* * *

 **End of chapter Notes:** So whatcha think? It's getting kool right? Yeah I personally enjoyed typing up this chapter, and I hope you, the reader, enjoyed it as much as I did. And yet again, **Thank You** for reading my weird story! There are more chapters to come, and they only get more interesting! Also remeber to leave your feedback, I enjoy reading comments, cuz they only fuel my solo editing powers! \\(^o^)/

ps. I watched the new trailer for the upcoming Bumblebee movie... eeeeeeeeeeeee! Finally a solo movie for our favorite yellow bug! yeah! Hopefully the movie doesn't contain a ton of explosions... cuz I think they kicked Mr. Bay out... huehuehueheuheuheu


	7. TFP: Sparkless Ch7: Deception

**Disclaimer** **:** _I do not own any of the Transformers characters in the TFP series, nor do I claim ownership of any_ _kind towards anything trademarked. This story is just for fun, and isn't connected towards the true lore behind the franchise. The only things I own are the OCs._

 _ **An Update note:** Okay, while I was typing this chapter, I was like "WTF this thing is frackin long", cuz dis chapter is a big boy! And it took me FOREVER to edit! So please start rolling in my pile of leaves, cuz dis chapter explains a ton of surprises and amazing action! It's like a full episode, like I wrote this chapter to be a full episode. Here you go served fresh and steaming hot, chapter 7. Whoo Hooo!_

* * *

 **Chapter 7: Deception**

The atmosphere of the med bay, was at a stand still, as Megatron, slowly walked into the room, and gazed down at his followers.

"L-Lord Megatron!", Knock-Out acknowledged, bowing before the gunmetal mech.

Megatron looked at Tap-Out, who looked almost exactly like him when he was covered in cables, and back at the two mechs who just started at him, "Inform me about your progress, of the recovery of your sibling.", Megatron ordered.

"Well-uhm, you see my Lord my sister, Tap-Out, is experiencing a form of stasis shock due to the type of cryo stasis she was put through, and she did awaken not to long ago, but her condition was far more advanced that I speculated.", Knock-Out informed.

Megatron raised and optic ridge, nodding as he examined the femme, "Now tell me good doctor, what was it that you wanted to inform me about, before I my presence known?", Megatron asked.

"This may be difficult to explain my liege, however thanks to Soundwave's perspective, we've discovered that my sister, has two spark beats.", Knock-Out pointed to the display, "This may be a result of a malfunction in the monitor's mainframe, or due to cable displacement, but the possibility of two spark beats, with two different frequencies, is far from common.", Knock-Out informed.

"Hm, interesting… But in order to make sure that it's not a malfunction, I want you to double check, by opening up her chest plate, and viewing her spark chamber. Unless you have a problem, with examining your own sibling.", Megatron raised an optic ridge.

Knock-Out looked up at the warlord's menacing faceplate, knowing that if he doesn't do as his master ordered, he'd be treated like one traitorous seeker, and that would mean history for his finish. Nonetheless, his sister is his only priority, and the pain within his spark might be an indication of her internal conflict. Without hesitation, Knock-Out walked over to his sister's side, venting calmly despite his aching spark. With a simple adjustment to a cable, Tap-Out's chassis transformed open, revealing her spark chamber.

"B-by the Allspark…", Knock-Out gasped, gazing down into the glowing spark chamber.

The three Decepticons gazed down into the spark chamber, of Tap-Out, which in fact revealed she did contain two sparks. Both sparks were intertwined in a formation best described as an infinity sign, one side was glowing blue, while the other an ominous red. Both sparks completely different, both sparks beating at different paces, and both sparks occupying one body.

However, the red glowing spark was glowing dimmer than that of blue, for a many of the vital cords were in disarray, and hanging out of place. Megatron had an evil grin stretched across his faceplate, as he started to laugh,

"How interesting.", Megatron grinned, leaning in closer to the spark chamber.

"My liege, is this the doing of Rigor Mortis?", Knock-Out questioned, his optics glowing a deep red.

"Yes.", Megatron answered.

Knock-Out glared at his sister, his optics shaking with horror, "Why would that blasted monster do this?", the red mech asked.

Rolling his optics at the red doctor's questions, Megatron pointed to the red spark, "To merely extend their research on reviving the dead, isn't that right Rigor Mortis?", Megatron stated, looking down at the red spark.

"Are you telling that… that my sister is fused with Rigor Mortis?", Knock-Out gasped.

"Why yes doctor, I still recall that she had fallen in battle, and that the Immortal vanished to the stars not soon after.", Megatron remarked, "Leading me to believe that Rigor Mortis had stopped by to collect a few parts, or maybe something that caught their interest. Like an offline Autobot medic, that showed promise towards their research."

"But why would Rigor Mortis want to extent their life, if they were already online?", Knock-Out asked.

"Simple, to see how far they could go.", Megatron revealed, "Rigor Mortis was always a wild card, never one to stay in one place for too long. The Immortal was a gift, thanking the doctor for giving me the edge I needed to conquer Cybertron. However, Shockwave was just one factor, and wasn't enough to finish the war. Rigor Mortis has failed me too many time, and for that I am grateful we have the upper hand in this situation.", the gunmetal warlord scowled, death glaring at the dimmed spark.

Knock-Out nodded his helm, now knowing the twisted truth behind his sister's condition, and now knows why he can feel her pain, "What would you like me to do my liege?", the red doctor asked, with solemn optics.

"Whatever as you please.", Megatron waved, "Rigor Mortis abandoned the Decepticons eons ago when, they decided to take off on their little voyage, only to end up back where they started, and who am I to meddle in family affairs.", Megatron implied.

"Thank you my liege!", Knock-Out's optics lit up.

"However, don't think for a second that I won't have you both monitored. Your sister still bears the enemies mark, and Rigor Mortis is still onlne, so you better get her situated with her new side,and that traitor back in line, understand.", Megatron spat, balling his servo into a fist.

"Y-yes my liege, don't worry about my sister, she'll be the spitting image of a Decepticon in no time!", Knock-Out bowed to his leader, "And as for Rigor Mortis, I'll see what I can do to separate them from my sister's spark.", the red mech added.

"Good, I'll be sending in Dreadwing, after he's done interrogating a prisoner.", Megatron informed.

"A prisoner?", Knock-Out asked.

"Yes, while you were here tending to your sibling, an Autobot somehow made it aboard the Nemesis, as Soundwave already knows how.", Megatron hinted to the nodding mech, who displayed a recording of the green wrecker in the Power Core.

"But no need to worry, as we speak, Bulkhead is enduring a brutal and violent punishment.", Megatron grinned, walking out of the med bay, however Soundwave didn't follow behind his master.

Confused at the masked mech, Knock-Out looked at silent officer, "So what's keeping you around?", Knock-Out asked, looking at the Soundwave.

"Hm, you're loyal to Rigor Mortis for helping you recover… from almost being totally scrapped.", Knock-Out nodded, "Well Soundwave I respect that notion, but aren't there more important things you should be attending to? As in the location of the Iacon relics?", Knock-Out smirked, crossing his servos.

Soundwave gazed at Knock-Out, as if trying to stare him down, but to no avail, thus resulting in the silence mech to turn and walk away. Once Soundwave was gone, Knock-Out walked back towards his sister's side, and plugged in the psychic patch, "I do hope Dreadwing gets done with his interrogation soon...", Knock-Out signed, plugging in the patch.

* * *

 _ **{Within Tap-Out's subconscious}**_

When Knock-Out opened his optics, he thought he'd see something other than a dark void, like maybe a scrap yard or a body pit. Nonetheless, the emptiness of the vast darkness that wrapped around him, was so suffocating that he thought his whole frame was being compressed.

"Now who are you?", a deep voice thundered, causing the darkness to vibrate.

"The name's Knock-Out, and I came here for my sister, not to chit chat with some disembodied voice.", Knock-Out answered.

"Hm? Your sister? Oh you must be talking about her? How interesting…Now answer me this, who do you work for?", the voice asked.

"Moi? I follow Lord Megatron.", Knock-Out acknowledged.

"So you're a Decepticon, while your sister is… hm an Autobot? Now that's an interesting situation, no wonder she kept herself hidden, even after all this time we spent together, I had no idea I was sharing this frame.",the voice sighed.

"Wait are you telling me that you had no idea, she was attached to your spark?!", Knock-Out gasped.

"Not really, but my memory is a bit foggy… must've been because of the eons spent in cryo.", the voice sighed.

"Wow for someone called 'Rigor Mortis', and the reputation behind the name, you seem very normal… in a sense.", Knock-Out commented.

There was a long silence between the two mechs, until the dark atmosphere started to shift into the form of a laboratory, very similar to that of the Immortal. Knock-Out stood still, servos still crosses, as he looked around the area, noticing that this was the same room he was in, when he was aboard the downed ship.

"I notice that you recognized this room?", a low voice came from behind, it kind of sounded like a mix of Dreadwing and Breakdown, with a slight tinge of his own.

Knock-Out turned his helm, only to lay sights on the shimmering gloss of a galaxy purple mech. His frame was distinctively seeker, sleek and aerodynamic, with fins on his ankles, wrists, and two large wings mounted on his back. His struts were nothing as extreme as Starscream's, however they resembled more of Megatron's, except ending in a single point. His arms were proportional with his frame, giving him a very symmetrical look, even his regal shoulder pads had symmetry.

His chassis had an elliptical shape, creating a dome around his collar, giving him a distinct shape. His helm held similarities to that of Soundwave, with fine ridges that shaped his overall head gasket, making it resemble his faction. In addition, he had a visor that covered up his faceplate, giving him a mysterious appearance. Overall, Rigor Mortis betrayed his name, he looked more like a well pampered seeker, whose creators had to have been that of high class. His glossy finish was more than pristine, even his silver and red accents, made him look more regal than a scientist. Knock-Out was at a loss for words, how could this seeker be Rigor Mortis? Nonetheless, the only thing Knock-Out cared about right now, was his sister.

"Where's my sister?", Knock-Out asked.

"Your sister is here I can feel her, and I know that you're a physician. So tell me doctor, what's the current situation of my body?", the seeker asked.

"First you give me my sister, then I'll tell what I know." Knock-Out stated.

With a slight sigh, the seeker strided towards Knock-Out, "How can I explain this... your sister is here, I can feel her spark pulling towards you.", Rigor Mortis repeated placing a slender, silver, servo over his chest plate.

"Don't play games with me!", Knock-Out spat.

With another sigh, the seeker opened his visor, revealing a wicker white faceplate, with beaming Blue, and red optics. Knock-Out took a step back, his optics widening with shock.

"T-Tap-Out?", he gasped.

"Knock-Out, I'm sorry… I wish I could've told you...", Tap-Out frowned.

"How is this possible?", Knock-Out asked, grabbing his helm.

"I don't know, and I don't think he knows how it happened either, his processors seem clouded in confusion… just like mine.", Tap-Out informed.

"What? Are you telling me that neither of you know how this happened? But didn't he do this to you? He is Rigor Mortis right?", Knock-Out asked.

Tap-Out looked to the side, confusion marked her faceplate, "I don't know, his feelings are his own, separate from mine, but I can feel that who he claims to be is true… except… except I feel as if he's lying to himself. I can't explain it, but he isn't the reason we have fused sparks… someone else did this, or it was something else, and since my spark is weak, we need each other to stay online…", Tap-Out explained.

"So what you're saying is, without his spark you deactivate? That must be the reason behind you're shut down!", Knock-Out looked at his sister's faceplate, who had a shocked expression.

"Tap-Out, I'm going to find a way to free you from this prison, but I'm going to need to make a deal with someone first.", Knock-Out said with determination.

"But what if-", Tap-Out's voice then faded, and the form in front of Knock-Out stood still.

"Rigor Mortis… is there anyway to separate your sparks?", Knock-Out asked, with a frustrated tone.

"Of course, but you have to tell me the current condition of my frame?", Rigor Mortis spoke, causing Tap-Out's optics to fade, only to be replaced by pure scarlet.

"Overall 'your' frame is in excellent condition, minus a few misplaced wires inside your spark chamber.", Knock-Out informed.

"Hm I see, probably caused by the eons of being in stasis, anything else?", the seeker asked.

"Well, your frame isn't what you appear like now, rather it has transformed into that of a triple changer.", Knock-Out enlighted.

"Fairly interesting, must've been the result of the spark fusion.", the seeker rubbed his chin.

"So how do you separate your spark, from my sister's?". Knock-Out asked, impatiently.

"After giving it some thought, protoforms.", Rigor Mortis grinned, "They are artificially created clones, that copy any CNA transfused in them, and they also serve as a perfect vessel for housing sparks… unfortunately, the ship that had the only laboratory vanished long ago, so we'll have to make them by scratch.", the seeker informed.

"What's the name of the missing ship?", Knock-Out asked.

"The Harbinger.", Rigor Mortis stated.

"Did you just say the Harbinger?!", Knock-Out questioned.

"Yes… why do you know of its whereabouts!?", the seeker asked.

"It was discovered in pieces, after crash landing on the planet Earth, just below us.", Knock-Out implied, "Earth is also the planet whose moon, your ship crash landed on.", the red mech pointed out.

Rigor Mortis looked to the side, the white of Tap-Out's faceplate, changing to a galaxy silver, "I see, I did make it to my destination. I was tracking the Harbinger for that laboratory.", the seeker remarked.

Knock-Out looked at the seeker, this was the most feared scientist on all of Cybertron, but yet he looked like any normal seeker. Not to mention, he looked too pristine to be a fighter, even Knock-Out had to admit that he looks like he's in better shape than himself.

"I have a few personal questions to ask you, of you don't mind?", Knock-Out asked, Rigor Mortis who was lost in thought.

"Shoot.", the seeker responded.

"Were you at one time a Royal Flyer?", Knock-Out asked.

"Yes, I flew among the Royals.", Rigor Mortis informed.

"That explains your physique, but one more question remains, what is your real name", Knock-Out asked.

Rigor Mortis' optics grew, his venting began to slow, as he looked into Knock-Out's red optics, "How did you know, that I go by another name?", the seeker asked, his voice holding a slight shutter.

"Just something my sister mentioned, and I'm good at seeing past those whose looks deceive their name.", Knock-Out smirked.

"Alright I guess I owe you that much. My name is...", The purple seeker paused, "My name is Knightwave.", the seeker responded flatly.

Knock-Out looked at the seeker, noticing the resemblances between him and the communications chief, with a grin he crossed his servos, leaning in to get a closer look at Knightwave, "So by the name resemblance, I'm guessing that you are related to Soundwave?", Knock-Out guessed, looking at the seeker's overall details.

"No, however I do recall saving his life after he was almost scrapped, even with skills taught by Megatron, you can't fight back an army by yourself. My name was given to me by the Royal Flyers, and Rigor Mortis was the name granted to me by those who survived my experiments.", Rigor Mortis stated, "But why are you so interested in my past?", he asked.

"Oh you know, I just want to get to know the mech who caused me so much trouble.", Knock-Out sneered, "And by the way you can forget about me calling you Rigor Mortis, that name his so not you. Also, now that I know your real name, I'll be calling you by that from now on.", Knock-Out snickered.

Knightwave gave a little smirk, along with a humorous huff, "Duly noted, and I assure you that once you fix the problem with my spark chamber, I'll let your sister have free roam over our shared form, but only till I need it to work on creating her new frame.", the seeker informed.

"But what if I choose to be one with the Allspark?", Tap-Out's voice came from within Knightwave's chest plate.

"Tap-Out… I don't want to lose you, you're my only family left…", Knock-Out pleaded.

"What about your conjux, isn't he your family too?", Tap-Out asked concerned.

"He-He's not with us anymore…He was killed by this wrench name Airachnid…", Knock-Out sneered.

"I'm… I'm sorry…", Tap-Out's voice faded.

"Airachnid?", Knightwave asked.

"A vial creature, that has no remorse for the things she kills, she killed my conjux Breakdown, and left nothing…", Knock-Out clenched his servos.

"Knock-Out.", the seeker said dryly, "A life for a life, you fix me and I'll aid you in taking down that wrench, and if I can I'll help you track down the remains of this Breakdown, and bring him back, along with your sister, if she forbids."

"That's awfully generous of you, why?", Knock-Out asked.

"Let's just say, I too have a score to settle with that femme, and by your sister's aching spark, you are suffering more than anyone.", Knightwave stated.

"Perspective aren't you, then we have a deal?", Knock-Out stretched out a servo,

"Deal.", Knightwave grinned, "And just in time too, it looks like your visit is over.", the seeker hinted at the collapsing walls, indicating that the patch was being removed.

"Hm, so it is. Catch you on the flip side.", Knock-Out grinned, giving Knightwave a little two fingered salute, before returning to his own mind.

* * *

 _ **{Reality}**_

When Knock-Out awoke, he was meet face to face with Dreadwing, who didn't have the most unamused look on his faceplate, rather he had the image of detest, "Who was that I saw on the monitor, and why were you making a deal with him?", Dreadwing sneered.

"That was Knightwave, or better known as Rigor Mortis.", Knock-Out informed, "And would you please ease off, you're leaving scuff marks all over my chassis!", Knock-Out complained.

"Your finish didn't pester you, when you were worrying about your sibling.", Dreadwing pointed out, "And you didn't answer my question, of why you were making a deal with that defiler of the dead.", Dreadwing implied.

"That's something I should know, and for you to bud out.", Knock-Out responded, getting off the floor, and walking around the berth, which his sister was lying on.

"No, it is my duty to monitor you, and that abomination. Lord Megatron informed me of the situation, and I feel a heavy spark to think of the acts of dishonor, placed upon you if you keep your sister alive.", Dreadwing stated.

"And who do you think you are, to know what's best for MY family? First you let Breakdown die, and now you're telling me to do the same to my sister? You've got some nerve telling me this Dreadwing, and just when I started to tolerate you!", Knock-Out scoffed, his optics glowing a burning red.

"That thing isn't your sister! It has two sparks, and one is of a deceased Autobot medic. She's DEAD Knock-Out, and nothing will bring back those who crossed over, back to life! Stop meddling with this voodoo, and put your sister's memory to rest.", Dreadwing scowled.

"You understand nothing Dreadwing! This isn't voodoo, this is science! The one you should be yelling at is our master, who uses dark energon to bring the dead to life.", Knock-Out pointed out, "Pits! Before you were his Second in Command, I tried to raise all of Cybertron's deactivated, as an undead army.", the red doctor informed.

"Our master is in possession of dark energon? And he used it to defile Cybertron's dead?", Dreadwing stopped arguing.

"Yeah and he's in possession, of a hefty supply of it too.", Knock-Out implied, raising an optic ridge at the blue seeker's silence, "Are you honestly telling me you haven't been informed of any of this? Not even the fact that this planet is actually Unicron himself?", Knock-Out asked.

"No, I wasn't even aware of any of this... as far as I'm concerned you could be lying, but something has been pulling at my spark.", Dreadwing shook his helm.

"Wow for the first lieutenant, Megatron really keeps you in the dark. I guess he doesn't want you to end up like Starscream.", Knock-Out mused.

"What about the traitor?", Dreadwing asked.

"Ooh right, I'm not allowed to tell you, sorry my bad. Forget I said anything.", Knock-Out snickered, as he walked over towards a medical tool table.

"Tell me what this seeker has done, that's an order.", Dreadwing sneered.

"Alright, but I warn you the news I'm about to tell you, isn't for the faint of spark.", Knock-Out shrugged.

"Out with it!", Dreadwing shouted.

"Oooh someone likes bad news.", the red mech laughed, looking through the tools, "Well, not too long ago Starscream came to my med bay, after being nearly scrapped by our master. However he left to the pits know where, before he was fully recovered, and the next thing I see he comes running back with a missing arm. After finding him a new limb, I decided to ask him what happened, it be a secret between doctor and patient." Knock-Out snickered, "Well, of course he spilled the whole story.", Knock-Out gave a slight chuckle, gathering tools to use to fix the damaged spark chamber.

"Well let's just say, his story was very enlightening.", Knock-Out smiled, walking over towards the berth.

Dreadwing watched the red medic, his solid red optics flaring at Knock-Out's stalling, "Continue.", Dreadwing ordered.

"Well, Starscream without our master's knowledge, had the original shard Megatron used to control the army of undead terrorcons, and decided that he wanted to use said shard to control a single warrior.", Knock-Out informed, opening up Tap-Out's chest plate.

"A single warrior?", Dreadwing asked, feeling an uneasy pull at his spark.

"Yup, a single warrior who- How did Starscream say it? Oh right- 'He may have denied my orders when he was alive, but he'll have no choice but to follow my every command when I have full control of his undead form!', yada yada something like that.", Knock-Out imitated, while he was reconnecting the disconnected wires of the twin spark chamber.

Dreadwing clenched his servos, and his venting became shaky, his very spark shook with rage, "Tell me, did he ever tell you the name of the warrior he brought back from the dead?", Dreadwing grit his denta.

"Hmm, I believe you already know that answer, and he didn't exactly bring him back, well to our dimension that is.", Knock-Out grinned, "Starscream said that his undead warrior is forever lost, stuck inside a shadow realm, if you believe in that kind of stuff.", Knock-Out smiled slyly.

Dreadwing's servos were clenched so tight, the sound of his stressed joints began to crackle under the pressure. Then, with an audible growling huff, Dreadwing stormed out of the med bay, leaving as if in a hurry, "Don't hurt yourself slipping on the flight deck, I hear it's raining like pits out there!", Knock-Out laughed, thinking of other ways to piss off the large seeker, once he gets back from his little hissy fit.

* * *

 _ **{Earth- undisclosed forest}**_

The night was still, a full moon beamed overhead casting long eerie shadows, to fill the void of silence. Starscream sat down on a bolder, his frame glistening in the moonlight, and his red optics acted like flashlights, reflecting their color everywhere he looked.

"I've been sitting here for cycles, and those blasted Autobots haven't showed up yet…", Starscream sighed, sitting even more hunched over.

The ex-con began to ponder, thinking that maybe he jinxed himself when he exclaimed that his luck was changing, or maybe this was a joke… a joke from Knock-Out, to get revenge from ruining his finish. Nonetheless, this 'joke' wasn't funny, but he did bridge here, and sat on the same rock for cycles, in the middle of the night.

"Do you think of me as a fool!", Starscream shouted, "Let me read the message again.", Starscream said, only for him to facepalm himself.

His back wings suddenly dropped down,"I guess I am a fool… I forgot to message them back… scrap…", Starscream scowled, hitting his leg for being such an idiot.

* * *

Not before long, after he sent his message, the familiar sight of a ground bridge opened up, right in front of the seeker. Emerging from the bridge was Optimus, Arcee, and Ratchet with their weapons at the ready. Arcee was the first to spot the seeker, and aimed her sights at Cliffjumper's murderer.

"Freeze 'Con!", Arcee ordered.

"Well long time no see Arcee, how's your partner?", Starscream mocked, a wide grin on his faceplate.

"If you want to fight Starscream, I'm willing to offer a rematch.", Arcee snarled, before being held back by Optimus.

"Starscream we are not here to start a fight.", Optimus implied.

"We're here to negotiate.", Ratchet added.

"Right.", Starscream nodded, getting up from his seat, "But I've got a proposition for you."

"Here we go.", Arcee scoffed.

"Out of the kindness of my spark, I won't just give you the current coordinates of the Nemesis, but rather the tracking signal, and I'll throw in some classified files I've managed to scavenge from the Harbinger.", Starscream grinned.

"What's your price?", Optimus asked.

"Oh just the original deal of energon, and a simple medical operation.", Starscream implied, pulling out a t-cog.

"A t-cog transplant? What's the matter with yours?", Ratchet asked.

"Long story short, one of my plans backfired, and my t-cog was my price to pay for being so careless.", Starscream sneered, remembering the moment he was attacked by Silas and his soldiers.

"Serves you right for what you did to Bumblebee.", Arcee spat.

"What should I say, I've learned my lesson.", Starscream sighed.

Optimus looked down at the seeker, his wings slightly slanted back due to them being underused for so long. Not to mention his overall appearance lacked its luster, due to his energon levels nearing depleted. The Prime knew that there was no way for Starscream to change who he is, a deceiver, but he also knew that bots can change their affiliation, and hopefully Starscream would be willing to join the Autobots.

"Starscream I accept your offer, but on one condition. You renounce your affiliation with the Decepticon cause, and either take the path of a neutral or join us in defeating Megatron.", Optimus proposed.

Starscream literally was shocked, never in the pits he thought Optimus, of all cybertronians, would give someone as deceptive as himself, a chance to redeem themselves. This decision was never asked of him, either join the Autobots, or drop being in a faction all together, was this really luck trying to help him out?

"Nobody has ever asked me to choose before…", Starscream taught, "However I do like the thought of flying in neutral colors, neither Autobot or Decepticon, a league all in my own.", Starscream grinned, "You have a deal Prime, I choose to be a neutral, and I'll wear the blank slate with honor.", Starscream stood tall, finally he found his place in this war.

"Good, but that doesn't mean, I still can't scrap you for all that you've done.", Arcee commented, walking away, back into the ground bridge.

 _{And that also means I still can't scrap you as well.}_ , Starscream thought, following the Autobots back to their base.

* * *

 _ **{The Nemesis- Med Bay}**_

Knock-Out was exhausted, he could barely keep his optics from closing, as he put the final adjustments to the twin spark chamber. It was a daunting task, but when all was said and done, the red mech couldn't help but pat himself on the back, for successfully fixing the disconnected wires. With a smile, Knock-Out closed the chest plate to his sister's and Rigor Mortis' frame.

"Alright, rise and shine.", Knock-Out chimed, waking up the shut down frame.

Small slits of violet light peeped through, as the dark red femme opened her optics, her vents began to normalize.

"So how are we feeling? I know that I could've done a better job at organizing certain components, but we lack the correct tools for a clean job.", Knock-Out informed, only to be met with a fist in the faceplate.

"T-Tap-Out! My finish! What's your malfunction!?", Knock-Out screamed, putting his servos over his aching faceplate.

"What's my malfunction? I should be asking you that question! Why did you make a deal with Rigor Mortis?", Tap-Out questioned.

"I did what I thought was right! I can't lose you after I just got you back, I just can't! I lost too much in this Primus forsaken war, and I don't want to have to deal with losing you again. I thought you understood me, when I explained my deal with Knightwave!", Knock-Out explained, even though the corner of his mouth was leaking energon.

Tap-Out could feel her brother's agony, his very spark is shaken to its core, with the fear of losing her, and the feeling of being alone.

 _{You know, making a deal with me isn't that bad. The only downside is having to endure my long talks about why dark energon is inferior.}_ , Knightwave's voice snickered, within Tap-Out's mind.

"Knock-Out… I apologize for hitting you… for abandoning you… for making you feel alone…", Tap-Out sighed.

Knock-Out put a servo on his sister's shoulder, a weak smile on his faceplate, "I'm just happy that you're still you, and as for this…", Knock-Out pointed to his scratched faceplate, "I'll only charge you a drive.", Knock-Out snickered.

"A drive? After all of this time, you too have never changed.", Tap-Out smiled.

Knock-Out shrugged, with a snarky smile on his faceplate, "What should I say, I'm an automobile enthusiast, and this planet sure does have its fair share of mighty fine vehicles.", Knock-Out grinned, showing his sister his arm panel decals.

"This planet… Earth you mentioned, while you were talking to Rigor Mortis, it has intelligent life?", Tap-Out asked.

"Well of course, but don't let that distract you.", Knock-Out respond.

"But this planet doesn't belong to us, why are we here anyways? Is Megatron planning on conquering this planet, like what he attempted to do on Cybertron?", Tap-Out persisted.

"Sister.", Knock-Out spoke softly, "That isn't any of your concern, the only thing you should be concerned about is getting an alt mode."

"An alt mode?", Tap-Out asked.

Knock-Out immediately turned around, and walked over to a monitor, typing in a few commands he gained access to what the Earthlings call, the internet, "Yes your vehicle mode, after all we don't want those pesky earthlings, or those blasted Autobots, finding us do we?", Knock-Out informed, as he searched through, an online sports car catalog.

"Autobots? There are Autobots here?", Tap-Out asked, rushing over to her brother's side.

Knock-Out stopped his search, and looked up at his sister's violet optics, they were beaming concern. Knowing that his sister was an Autobot, made him wish that he didn't mention them in the first place.

 _{Frag me and my blasted motor mouth.}_ , Knock-Out mentally cursed.

"Y-yes, we've been tracking a small group of Autobot survivors, who we traced here from discovering their broadcast signals.", Knock-Out explained.

"I see, the leader of this warship, who I presume to be Megatron, will give them no mercy.", Tap-Out pointed out, in a saddened tone.

"You are correct again, I'm sorry you're being forced to join us. I know how you feel about being around my kind, and having to deal with our customs.", Knock-Out apologized.

"Remember when you asked me to join you, those many eons ago, and I said 'Me a Decepticon? Dream on.'... well I guess your dream came true.", Tap-Out recalled, in a solemn tone.

"Tap-Out that was never my dream. My dream was for us to be a family again, but as I see it, we are still far from what I envisioned… after I lost Breakdown… I thought I lost everything, but here you are.", Knock-Out smiled.

Tap-Out outstretched her arms, and after the longest time, she embraced her brother, feeling his sorrow for his lost conjux, "How about we cancel that drive, and find your partner…"Tap-Out suggested.

"What?", Knock-Out questioned.

"I listened to your deal with Rigor Mortis, and he said that he'll help you find your partner's missing frame ", Tap-Out implied, "So why don't we do that first, right now."

"Right now?", Knock-Out asked, his optics glowing.

"Yeah, I'll be right here if you need me, but the one you need to talk to, is ready to find Breakdown.", Tap-Out stated.

"Are you sure you want do this now? Switch over control, I mean.", Knock-Out asked.

"I'm positive, I'll do anything for you brother, Breakdown is family after all", Tap-Out smiled.

Knock-Out smiled, his optics glowing a joyful red, unlike anything his sister had seen before. They were so calm, so full of appreciation, that she could feel her brother's spark leaping with joy, and the love that they shared. Tap-Out knew that giving up control to Rigor Mortis may result in her becoming nothing but a conscience, but at least she could watch over her brother.

Tap-Out look a step back from Knock-Out, as she began to switch over control of her body. The transformation was swift, but it changed everything from color, to basic form. The once dark red femme, that stood almost as tall as Knock-Out, changed to a galaxy purple, and grew a few feet taller, exactly the same height as Starscream. The triple changer frame, still had it's consistent shape of wings mounted on the back, tires on the shoulder pads, and on the back of the heels. However, the helm shape change completely, changing from that of Tap-Out's spiked helm, to Knightwave's distinct Decepticon logo shaped helm, with its many detector antennas, and blacked out visor. The collar also changed to a more elliptical shape.

"Are you sure that you're not related to Soundwave? Because I must be malfunctioning.", Knock-Out commented, once the transformation was complete.

"No, we are not related, and I must commend you on your excellent surgery.", Knightwave nodded with appreciation.

"First time's the charm I guess, and besides we did make a deal.", Knock-Out chimed, walking towards the exit, "So we should get moving, don't want to wake up the whole warship."

"Agreed, and if our master sees me, I guarantee that he'll have us locked in a boring conversation, about the basic rules of his command, and a 2 cycle long Q and A.", Knightwave added.

"You just read my mind, but first we have to open up a ground bridge, sneaking passed Soundwave might be a challenge, and since I can't fly that is our only ticket out of here.", Knock-Out informed, trying to think of a plan.

"You know, I've discovered a way to give you the ability to fly, without sacrificing your lust to drive.", Knightwave implied.

"Sorry, but I'm not in the market for getting my spark fused with a seeker.", Knock-Out responded.

"Nothing like that at all I assure you, believe me I found an easier was to upgrade the basic grounder frame, and adjust it to properly integrate wings. Unlike my and your sister's situation, you won't need another spark to gain seeker qualities.", Knightwave informed.

"So what kind of procedure is it then?", Knock-Out asked.

"By reprogramming a t-cog's limitations, I can change its designated makeup to have both seeker and grounder qualities, thus giving a grounder flight, and a seeker wheels.", Knightwave informed.

"Oh, quite impressive. I'll have to think about that.", Knock-Out nodded, "But as for right now, Breakdown should be our only concern, but shaking down Soundwave for the coordinates, won't be an easy task.", Knock-Out implied, recalling his last encounter with the communications chief.

"No need to worry about getting permission from him, while we were talking I just gained access to your ship's records, and I just downloaded the files regarding the last known location of your partner.", Knightwave stated, as he retracted what seemed to be a data cords, back into two specific slots on his chassis.

"Okay, for the last time, are you related to Soundwave?!", Knock-Out persisted, his optics pleading for an answer, "I mean come on! There's no point in hiding it!"

With a loud vent, the purple mech lifted his visor, the same violet optics his sister had beamed, as he gazed at the red mech,"Yes we are related, my apologies for not telling you. If we are to be working together, I might as well not keep this minor inconvenience a secret.", Knightwave then put a arm out, "But I'd rather not talk about it here, we can converse about it when we are following your partner's trail.", he stated, as he then opened up a ground bridge within the Med Bay.

"Well then, surprise surprise.", Knock-Out snickered, walking through the bridge, with Knightwave following in suite.

* * *

 _ **{Autobot base}**_

Ratchet had taken the grey seeker, to a back room for the t-cog transplant, Bumblebee was out on patrol, while Optimus and Arcee had a meeting with an unhappy Agent Fowler. And by unhappy, he was spewing star spangled curse words at the large bots.

"NASA has reported that the moon, experienced a large scale explosion, with the force of 20,000 pounds fireworks on its surface! I don't know about you Prime, but today isn't the 4th of July!", the special agent yelled, "I just spent days trying to clear your name off America's most wanted list, and now my name is on that list too, along with your roadies!", Agent Fowler pointed at the rest of team prime.

"Agent Fowler-", Optimus begane, before he was cut off.

"And then I come to see that you're making deals with the 'Cons! Prime I'm starting to question your judgement on how to solve situations around here, it's like the color red really defines your symbol to the teeth!", Agent Fowler exposed.

"Agent Fowler if you would let me explain-"

"Well out with it Prime!", Agent Fowler ordered.

"We are under the unfortunate assumption, that Bulkhead had been abducted by the Decepticons, and is currently being held prisoner aboard their warship.", Optimus began, "It is top priority that we board the Nemesis, and free our comrade from possible life threatening danger."

"I see, and the deal you made with Stilettos, will help you discover the location of their warship.", Agent Fowler mused, rubbing his chin.

"Not only that, if Screamer keeps his end of the deal, we'll be able to keep tabs on their location all the time, with the addition of a few top secret files.", Arcee informed.

Agent Fowler looked up at the two Autobots, feeling a bit guilty for assuming that their intentions were for the worst. Nonetheless, he knew that the incident on the moon would end up causing the eminent shutdown of Autobot operations, but with news like this, maybe Agent Fowler could get one more second chance at redeeming the name of Team Prime.

"Alright Prime, I have your back in this one, but remember one more screw up, and Uncle Sam will be hanging us by our underwear, high up on the flagpole.", Agent Fowler informed, before leaving.

Arcee and Optimus stool motionless, as they watched Agent Fowler walk out of the room, a still silence filled air, not just because they were worried about Bulkhead, but also of their own fate. However, that silence was broken when they heard the sounds of Bumblebee's pedes thumping on the concrete, as he walked back into the base.

*Bweeee dededodododo wiiiwiiizoizooi zewweeoo*, Bumblebee buzzed.

"The conversation could've gone better, anything to report?", Arcee sighed.

*Deee dooo wooozzzee*, Bumblebee responded.

"So no Decepticon activity, that must mean Bulkhead hasn't given out any information.", Arcee implied.

"There may be no sign of them mobilizing just yet, but if the Decepticons decide to take a more drastic step in their interrogation, then our location may soon be discovered.", Optimus commented.

"Not unless you save him first.", the familiar sound of Starscream's voice echoed from the hallway.

"As I promised, the tracking signal.", Starscream stated, walking into the main room, with a strange device in hand.

"A ground bridge remote?", Arcee asked.

"Yes it's linked to the Harbinger's network, which lays undetected by Megatron. That remote will give you both access to the secret files, and the real time location of the Nemesis.", Starscream pointed out.

"The Harbinger, your secret hiding place", Arcee rolled her optics.

"I wouldn't call it 'hiding', it is more like scheming… in a sense." Starscream shrugged.

Starscream stood awkwardly in front of the Autobots, never in his wildest dreams did he ever see himself in this type of situation. The seeker always thought that he'd be stuck being an outcast Decepticon, with the undying lust to be a leader, but all of that meant nothing now. The ex-Con couldn't help but smirk, at his own luck, or would it be considered a misfortune? Nonetheless, he finally got the break he deserved, now knowing that without bearing a faction symbol, he could do whatever he wanted, and wouldn't have to worry about being ordered about, or beaten by Megatron.

"Optimus…", The seeker spoke, catching the Prime's attention, "It is of my greatest gratitude of you giving me another chance, and I know that I've gotten my fair share of second ones, but I wanted to thank you again for it… thank you for not throwing me to the side.", Starscream thanked.

"Starscream, I appreciate your sentiment, and I entrust that one day you too give another, the knowledge you've gained.", Optimus smiled.

"I see you wasted no time spewing your appreciation.", Ratchet pointed out, as he walked out from the hallway, heading towards the monitor.

"Why yes Doctor, after all I do owe my respect to those who aided me.", Starscream implied.

"Well I can't say I accept your gratitude, but I will let you choose the location of where you wish to be bridged to.", Ratchet replied, firing up the ground bridge.

"Aww leaving so soon.", Arcee teased, making Bumblebee buzz with laughter.

Starscream gave a little growl at the blue femme's humor, for even after he proved his gratitude, there is still a shattered trust between him and the Autobots, "Fine have it your way, bridge me back to the Harbinger." Starscream crossed his arms, "And as for my Energon?", Starscream hinted.

"Right here.", Arcee smirked, stepping to the side to reveal 2 cubes of energon.

"Just two!?", Starscream asked.

"You get what you get, and you don't throw a fit.", Arcee grinned.

Starscream gave a sighing frown, just two isn't enough to last him no more than 1 week, if he rations it. Nonetheless, he can't complain for he has the ability to transform again, thus enabling him to search for deposits, or steal from the Decepticons. With a nod, the sleek seeker walked over to the energon, picked it up, and stood by the ground bridge waiting for Ratchet to open it.

"I guess this is a good bye then?", Starscream grinned.

"Not entirely true.", Optimus stated, "For I know we will cross paths again, and remember walking the path of a neutral may lead to trouble.", Optimus advised.

"I'll try to keep that in mind.", Starscream mumbled, as the ground bridge opened.

The ex-Con gave one last look at the Autobots, and was reminded of all the wrong he committed, and he knew that nothing could change the past. With a solemn sigh, the neutral seeker walked through the portal, feeling awkward about bearing no symbol upon his chassis.

* * *

 _ **{Decepticons- unknown forest location}**_

Dawn was slowly breaking through the horizon, of an undisclosed forest location. The sound of crickets and frogs can be hear, as the morning dew began to evaporate. A green vortex appeared in a small clearing, just a few meters away from Breakdown's last logged life signal. Contrasting from the greenery, a shimmering red and a light bending purple, was seen walking out of the hissing vortex.

"So this is the last known location of Breakdown's life?", the red mech asked, signing as he looked around at the beautiful scenery.

"Affirmative, this was the last known location logged into the Decepticon database. It was logged under the description of 'Failed assignments'.", the purple seeker responded.

The red mech gave a slight grown of frustration, { _A failed mission? No, more like an easy way, for Megatron to throw away femme trash, and Breakdown was an unfortunate causality.}_ , Knock-Out thought.

"Knock-Out, I understand your frustration, this incident reminds me of when I lost someone dear to me… she was also killed by Airachnid.", the purple seeker sighed.

"Let me guess, this also has to do something about Soundwave?", Knock-Out asked.

"Not exactly.", Knightwave sighed, "Soundwave is my older sibling, but I never got to know him too well while growing up. He was a gladiator in the Pits of Kaon, while I was being taught discipline, and honor by my creators.", Knightwave began, as he walked off towards the location.

"Are you going to tell me your life's story? If so continue, I do like listening to others personal history.", Knock-Out smirked, only to get a long silent glare from Knightwave, "No really I do, I think it's an interesting aspect in getting to know another.", Knock-Out waved his servos. With and optic roll, Knightwave dropped his visor over his faceplate, and continued to speak.

"Me and my brother were created in two vastly different worlds, but I started to see why he decided to leave mine. Our creators were very strict, and only wanted the best out of us, anything less and we would be punished.", Knightwave grumbled, still obviously angry at his creators.

"So a rough childhood? I could relate.", Knock-Out commented.

"When the revolutions started, my family was one of the firsts to jump aboard Megatron's bandwagon, and guess who was his chief among them… that made me dislike my brother even more, he had so much freedom, while I was forced to follow. Back then I really wished to that I had the bearings to walk away", Knightwave spat, clenching his servos.

Knock-Out couldn't believe what he was hearing, this so called 'Rigor Mortis', wasn't what in his wildest dreams expect. The more he listened to Knightwave's story, the more he started to gain appreciation towards this mech. This seeker's story helped Knock-Out understand why he chose to be feared, rather than respected, for those who show respect were limited on what they can get away with.

"My creators gave me no choice of what side I chose to be apart of, I may have still been young at the time, but I knew in my spark that only terrible things would happen. My brother however, seemed excited that I was to become a Royal Flyer, but being a symbol of terror wasn't what I wanted.", the purple seeker sighed.

"Hold up, I thought the Royal Flyers were a special kind of Decepticon law enforcement, and that they were respected by every Decepticon?", Knock-Out asked.

"Your assumption is correct, but the Royals were not at all remorseful. If they thought you needed to be offline, they'd do it.", Knightwave explained, Knock-Out nodded his helm, hearing in Knightwave's voice his pain towards his past.

"Back then all I wanted to be was a physician, I wanted to help others, and fix the damage caused by the revolution. However, my sympathy towards others made my creators reject me, and ultimately tainted my relationship with the Decepticons.", the purple seeker sighed.

"Hm I can relate with you, more than you know. I wanted to be a cosmetologist, but my creators wanted me to be a standard doctor. Also I never saw optic to optic with them, so the first chance I got, I joined up with the Decepticons.", Knock-Out explained, "They however were Autobots, and forced me to leave my family.", he sighed.

"Do you ever regret it?", Knightwave asked.

"Pardon?", Knock-Out asked.

"Joining the Decepticons. Do you regret it?", Knightwave asked again.

"Y…yes… I do, and at times I ponder on how my life would've turned out, if I sucked up my pride, and went with my spark. Who knows, maybe Breakdown would still be alive…", the red mech's optics dimmed, thinking about his possible future that never came, made him feel horrible.

"But enough about me, continue with your story.", Knock-Out implied, shaking his helm to knock himself out of his thoughts.

"I understand, and as for my story well… I was torchered, left for scrap, beaten, broken, and nearing the Allspark… who knew that showing sympathy towards others could cause you so much pain.", Knightwave sighed.

"Did your creators do that to you!?", Knock-Out asked.

"No, they sent the only mech who could kill another, and show no mercy, even if they were family…", Knightwave stopped in his tracks, standing still as his servos balled into fists.

"They gave my brother no choice, they ordered him to deactivate me, and he gave me no mercy… no matter how much I begged.", Knightwave's vents became rough, venting in angrily.

"They stripped me of all of my weapons and armor plating, I nearly resembled a simple drone. I was nothing to my family, and NOTHING to my brother…", the purple seeker then slammed a fist into a tree, that was next to him, causing it to fall over.

"I knew Soundwave was the cold, quiet type, but I never expected him to be THAT cold. No wonder you avoided talking to him.", Knock-Out remarked.

"I hate him to my bottom of my spark, he never even hesitated, not even when I pleaded for him to stop… all he saw me as was a traitor. My only brother, left me nearly offline in the middle of that empty arena, my frame was totally destroyed… but my spark stayed functional.", Knightwave vented harder, then continued walking towards Breakdown's location.

Knock-Out stood there, looking at Knightwave as he walked away, his spark was tugging at him as if his sister was feeling the seeker's pain. The red mech took a shaky vent, and continued to follow Knightwave towards his destination.

"So I'm assuming someone had rescued you? Because we wouldn't be having this intense conversation if you were offline.", Knock-Out pointed out.

"Indeed I was rescued, if you want me to be modest about it. I was picked up by a roaming scavenger, a scientist of all things, and taken to her secret outpost just outside of Kaon. I don't know if I was lucky that she found me, or unlucky that she fixed… after all I was her experiment.", Knightwave explained.

"You were rescued by a arena scavenger? An easy picking for those who wanted scrapped parts. So who was the scientist that fixed you?", Knock-Out asked.

Knightwave looked down the red mech, the blank expression of his blacked out visor, gave no indication of his true emotions, "An infamous Decepticon scientist, who was known for scavenging the deactivated, and using their parts for her experiments… her name was Rigor Mortis.", Knightwave exposed.

* * *

 **End of Chapter notes:** _Dun DUNNN DUNNNNNNN! Ding dang it, this chapter has always made me smile... at how evil I can get! Whooo hoooo! This chapter was so hard to edit, and I remember when I first wrote this on paper, it was equally as intense! Oh Chapter 7 why must you be so... so well weird! But I like weird! And I know you guys like weird! Do you like weird? Well here you go! There are more chapters to come, all I gotta go is edit them! And I do believe they are as long and informative as this one! Yeah more to read and more flipping tables! I plan on releasing Chapter 8 in the next day or so, it depend on how much editing is needed. Once again **Thank You** for reading, and please leave your feedback! I enjoy reading your beautiful words! _

_ps... CLIFF HANGER!_


	8. TFP: Sparkless Ch8: Pendulum

**Disclaimer** **:** _I do not own any of the Transformers characters in the TFP series, nor do I claim ownership of any_ _kind towards anything trademarked. This story is just for fun, and isn't connected towards the true lore behind the franchise. The only things I own are the OCs._

 _ **An Update** **note:** I'm throwing up rainbows... dear lord you're gonna like this chapter! I liked it, so um you'll like it to? Yeah I know that I left you at a cliff hanger in Ch7, but boy oh boy this chapter is finger lickin' goooooooood! Enough of my senseless babbling read and devour!_

* * *

 **Chapter 8: Pendulum**

"…her name was Rigor Mortis.", ringed throughout Knock-Out's processors, how could there be two Rigor Mortis'? Is what Knightwave saying true? Knock-Out couldn't wrap his drives around anything, first he thought Knightwave was as cold as any bot could get, but now he sees him as someone who has reasons for his actions.

With a deep vent, Knock-Out had to know more about this seeker, he had to or he'll never rest, "Wait I thought you were Rigor Mortis?", Knock-Out implied.

"I am, except I took her name after she… after she was deactivated.", Knightwave said seldomly.

"Airachnid?", Knock-Out asked, his red optics glowing a sorrowful tone.

"Yes… the day she was deactivated, was the day I was sent on the journey to find the Harbinger.", Knightwave informed.

"What did Airachnid want with Rigor Mortis? And how did you and my sister get fused together? Tell me more, about everything that happened.", Knock-Out persisted, running ahead of the seeker, and stopping in front of him.

Knightwave stopped, looking down at Knock-Out, he opened his visor, revealing his dimmed violet optics, "Rigor Mortis was on the brink of discovering a way to bring those who were deactivated back from the Allspark, for after she discovered my still beating spark in an offline frame, she knew that something beyond science could explain my condition. So after she rebuilt my frame, using whatever parts I had left, she inducted me in her knowledge of reviving the deactivated, by shocking a weak spark chamber with enough voltage to reactivate it. Over the course of time, we became close, and we both learned more from each other, thus improving our research.", Knightwave sighed, his optics began to flicker, as he dwelt on the past.

"You two were forming a sparkbound…", Knock-Out said quietly.

"Yes we were, and the more that we learned from each other, the more confident we became of our dream of helping others. Who knew that all it took was for me to be scrapped, to find the only femme who actually made me feel online. Not soon after we perfected our research of creating artificial spark chambers, we decided it was of our best interests to search through battlefields to find more parts, and hopefully find others with sparks just like mine.", Knightwave informed.

"So that's why many chassis' were ripped open… and that's how the name 'Rigor Mortis' was spread.", Knock-Out mused.

"Indeed, and we were both well aware of what kind of bots would be interested in our actions, and just as she predicted, Lord Megatron came searching for us, but he wasn't aware that I was helping her. However, Mortis was good at keeping secrets, she knew that I was an outcast, but she also knew that with the help of the Decepticons, we could further our research.", Knightwave leaned up against a tall redwood tree, and looked up at the sky, as it changed colors from the rising sun.

" After her 'joining' the 'Cons, our research became more extensive, and more profitable. We were able to loot battlefields without the risk of being deactivated by Decepticon scavengers, and the Autobots posed no threat to us, since we were in the shadow of the Decepticon might. Towards the middle of the war, we were scavenging what was left of an Autobot city known as Kalis. At this point we had no luck, in finding another spark like mine, but while searching through an abandoned underground chamber, we found something. ", the seeker adjusted himself, his new triple changer frame, making him feel uncomfortable.

"I heard that the Autobot counsel used those tunnels, for their secret operations, you were bound to find something down there.", Knock-Out added.

"Yeah and what we found shocked us. We randomly stumbled on an intact torcher chamber, unlike anything we've encountered. We didn't expect that the Autobots were capable of such things, but the more we looked into it, the more we discovered the truth. Apparently the chamber was used back during the early years of the war, as a way of keeping the peace, and hushing those who rejected the Autobot way of life. However, this chamber was only used once, and was only used on one bot, who saw passed the city's corrupted government.", Knightwave shuttered.

"I could probably guess who you're talking about, it's Shockwave isn't it?", Knock-Out asked.

"Yes.", Knightwave nodded, "Except he wasn't called that back then, in fact he was an Autobot Senator by the name of Longarm.", Knightwave informed.

 _{Longarm?! How can he be Shockwave?! I heard that he was killed by Decepticons!}_ , Tap-Out gasped, within Knightwave's conscience.

"Longarm… hm Longarm… I can't say that rings any bells. I never really paid that much attention to politics.", Knock-Out shrugged.

"Longarm was a politician who discovered that the government in charge of Kalis, was making deals with the Decepticons to help the city stay out of the war, and also helped Megatron with his conquest for ruling over Cybertron. Longarm who was devoted to the Autobot cause, could not stand for this type of treachery, so he decided to expose the government for what they really were.", Knightwave sighed, crossing his servos.

"As Decepticons, who wore the Autobot insignia, as a disguise to trick their followers…", Knock-Out mused, looking up at the seeker, who nodded at the red mech's statement.

"Needless to say, we found what remained of him, his scrapped frame thrown like trash over an examination table, with his spark still beating… We knew that he deserved better, so we rebuilt him, right there in that laboratory, using whatever was available, for we didn't want to risk being discovered.", Knightwave put a servo over his mouth, and let out a sigh.

"There wasn't much that we could've done, without our advanced equipment, we were only able to rebuild him to a certain extent, enough to make him look nothing like his former self, thus enabling us to take him back to our Laboratory, in Kaon. Nobody questioned us, for to them he looked believable enough to pass as any other drone. From there, we patched up is spark, and transferred his processors to another unit, though it was just a prototype model, and we had no idea what kind of effects it would have on his psyche.", Knightwave informed.

"Oh is that why he's all, 'Illogical' and 'Logical'?", Knock-Out asked.

"Correct, the prototype processor lacked that of typical emotion, thus limiting its output, making it hard for Longarm to comprehend his feelings. He showed signs of his lack of emotion the moment we shocked his spark awake, for when he awoke, his confusion towards his new frame, caused him to crash.", the seeker sighed, in taking a deep vent.

"What did you end up doing to fix this problem?", Knock-Out asked.

"It wasn't simple, but I didn't want Longarm to suffer anymore, so I told Mortis to take one of my drives out, as a donation. At first she was reluctant, but I knew that he couldn't operate efficiently without another set of drives. As for me, I knew that I could run with one less processor, but the only downside would be that I would be a bit slow after surgery.", Knightwave stated, tapping the side of his helm.

"You gave up nearly half of your processors, just so you could give a bot that you never meet before, another chance to live? That's either crazy, or moronic.", Knock-Out commented, crossing his servos.

"That's exactly how she put it, but I knew in my spark that if I were to help Longarm, something fortunate might happen. The surgery went by quick, and when I awoke, there was a bright red eye staring at me, and what I saw in it was the sign of gratitude. We did it, we successfully brought back a Cybertronian from near deactivation, and he was more than thankful. He was actually intrigued by our practice, and devoted himself in aiding our endeavors, although he never actually recovered fully from the tragic event that nearly deactivated him.", Knightwave paused for a moment, his silver faceplate held concern, and sorrow.

"Somehow, his processors must've blocked out the fact that the Decepticons were the cause of his near deactivation, and he was under the assumption that the Autobots were the cause of his agony.", the seeker shifted against the tree, as he explained his past, as if it happened yesterday.

"In order to keep himself from being discovered by both Decepticon and Autobot alike, he changed his name, for he stated that Longarm died meta-cycles ago, and taking inspiration from our practice and my name, he then officially dubbed himself 'Shockwave'. A devoted scientist of the Decepticon cause, and a symbol of death to all Autobots.", Knightwave gave a shaky sigh, knowing that even though he saved a life, he caused trouble to so much more.

"So that's the history behind the mysterious Shockwave, who knew how small this universe was.", Knock-Out chimed.

"Yeah and who knew that such a small universe could be filled with so much chaos… when the war started to near its highest peak, that's when things started to collapse. Battlefield after battlefield, countless lives were taken, and millions more would soon meet their end. Tyger Pax was the worst, the whole city fell apart, and billions were deactivated. I tried my best to aid in the battle, but all in all there was nothing I could've done to save everyone… except one. My brother was badly scraped, he looked exactly as I did when he nearly deactivated me… I wanted, so badly, to leave him there.", Knightwave vented hard, remembering everything that day, it made him sick.

"Why didn't you leave him, after all that he has done to you?", Knock-Out asked.

"Would you leave your sister die, even if she left for scrap?", Knightwave asked, only to get no answer, "That's right, no matter what he has done, he was still family, and my spark told me to save him. So I brought him aboard the Immortal, and fixed him myself… after he awoke, the only face he saw was Mortis', because I asked her to take the credit.", Knightwave explained.

"That explains why he is so loyal to Rigor Mortis, it took a few insults to get that mute to leave.", Knock-Out mentioned.

"So he's a mute now? I thought his voice box was still intact when I saved him, unless it was damaged in another battle?", Knightwave asked.

"Naw, he just swore an oath that he won't speak again, unless Megatron is the overlord of Cybertron.", Knock-Out informed, rolling his optics.

"Funny, because back when we were still brothers, he'd never stop talking, he must really be devoted to his cause.", Knightwave snickered, recalling all the near endless conversations he had as a youngling, with his brother.

Knock-Out looked at the galaxy purple mech, his color was just as dark as Soundwave's, except it was more lively, however it was also filled with a history of unrelenting sorrow, and the need to help others. Nonetheless, Knock-Out knew that this mech meant no harm to him and his sister, but two question still remains, and the red mech needed to know them.

"Tell me, how was Rigor Mortis deactivated? I know that you've already spilled most of your life story, but I need to know what happened to her, and how you and my sister became what you are now.", Knock-Out glared into Knightwave's violet optics.

Knightwave looked back into Knock-Out's pleading optics, his spark pulled towards the red mech's, "Don't give me that look, it makes you look like her…", Knightwave turned his helm away from Knock-Out.

"What are you talking about?", Knock-Out asked

"Rigor Mortis was the same shade of red as you, she was also very pushy when it came to wanting to gain information. She was so beautiful, except she was known for creating very ugly things… Airachnid was one of those ugly things… that managed to live, thanks to Shockwave's research…", Knightwave sighed, trying his best to ignore Knock-Out's red paint, that was starting to glisten in the morning light.

"I never knew…", Knock-Out walked a few feet away, giving Knightwave some space, "Please do continue, your story is actually pretty interesting, at least you can hold a conversation, I'd probably shoo someone off if they asked me to spill my life story.", Knock-Out grinned.

"If you insist…", Knightwave bowed his helm, "Airachnid was an experiment that Shockwave was the lead scientist on, for Lord Megatron wanted a means of controlling the Insecticon armada. He requested a general who'd control the whole hive, so he employed Mortis and Shockwave, to seek out a candidate for experimentation, preferably an Autobot.", Knightwave gave a shuddering sigh, his spark pounding with anger.

"The way they got their candidate wasn't hard so to speak, however it was easy to find a good source to lure in an unsuspecting Autobot. By waiting for the next conflict, which was the assault on Iacon, we were able to capture an Autobot, who wasn't at all happy to be captured. She did put up a good fight, but we were ready for such resistance.", Knightwave let out a deep vent.

"So who was this unlucky femme, to become our mortal enemy?, Knock-Out asked.

"Elita-1.", Knightwave said dryly.

"What?! No way, so that's what happened to the Big O's sparkmate? I overheard about her 'deactivation' from one of my colleagues, but I never would've guessed she was Airachnid.", Knock-Out blurted.

"Back during her assimilation phase, she was placed under the code name 'Blackarachnia', a name given to her by Shockwave. During this phase she was undergoing a fusion with that of Insecticon CNA, and her drives were being completely rewritten. She was no longer Elita-1, her frame and psyche were not the same anymore, she was more monster than Cybertronian.", Knightwave sneered, just thinking about her creation.

"A scientist creates a monster, but the question is 'was the scientist the monster after all?'", Knock-Out mused, which caused Knightwave to nod his helm.

"Project Blackarachnia was a complete success, Megatron got his general, and she was the perfect combination of Insecticon CNA, and Cybertronian CNA. However, we didn't expect her to-"

"Pull a 180, and turn on you?", Knock-Out interrupted

"Yes, her indoctrination went by without her former self showing any signs of ever returning, but that monster knew too much of her purpose, and her Insecticon instincts kicked in. She betrayed her creators and went off on her own agenda, only to later come back and try to take something that she thought would extend her life.", Knightwave's servos started to clench, his gaze was not directed at anything, all his focus was on his thoughts.

"She tried to steal my sister's spark didn't she? You both must've found her out on that battlefield, and all you wanted to do was fix her. You wanted to bring her back, like what you did to Shockwave.", Knock-Out's optics flashed with anger, and sadness.

"Your sister was the first spark that we found in meta-cycles, that had the same condition as I. Mortis was so close at discovering the mystery behind our spark's everlasting functionality, but Airachnid wanted it for herself. She chased us away from the battlefield, so we had to act quickly, if we wanted to revive your sister. We took what we could, her spark and processors were all that we needed, and then we ran. Unfortunately, we didn't make it to the Immortal in time, and were apprehended by Airachnid, who stopped us a few yards away from our destination. In a last act to save your sister's spark and memories, Mortis forced me to open my chassis, and hide Tap-Out's spark chamber and processors inside of me.", Knightwave shuddered at the thought, his servos shaking.

"She told me to run, she told me to live on… she knew that one day I'd find a way to bring back everyone who was deactivated, during the war, all I had to do was leave her behind and find the Harbinger. She begged me…", the purple seeker's optics began to leak coolant, his memories were too vivid, too real.

Knock-Out could feel his spark pulling, this was an indication that his sister was feeling the seeker's pain, the red mech couldn't believe what Knightwave was saying was true. He couldn't believe it at all, he couldn't… he just couldn't.

"What did you really need from the Harbinger? I don't think those protoforms, were what you were really after?", Knock-Out remarked.

"The Harbinger was carrying important archives regarding the process of spark swapping, which was the missing piece to our research.", Knightwave sighed.

"Spark swapping?", the red mech asked.

"The process of swapping sparks with another individual, essentially, swapping frames with another. Mortis had discovered that if used efficiently, we could transfer sparks of the deactivated, into online chambers allowing them to be revived. However, this was just a theory, and without the complete understanding of the spark swapping research, our hypothesis wasn't justified enough for testing.", Knightwave explained.

"That explains all those artificial spark chambers, but I have one more question to ask you. How did you and my sister became this?", Knock-Out asked.

"That's the only question I don't have a complete answer to. I do not know how our fusion came to be, but I have a hunch that could possibly explain our condition.", Knightwave pushed himself off the tree he was leaning on, and began to walk.

"I think, this is just a shot in the dark, but I think that we must've fused when I was placed into stasis. I forgot to remove your sister's remains form my chassis, and I believe that due to our sparks being identical in functionality, they must've fused together, and transformed us into this form.", Knightwave hypothesized.

"An interesting hypothesis, and a way better one than I came up with.", Knock-Out shrugged, making Knightwave raise an optic ridge.

"What?", Knock-Out snickered, only to get a more intense glare from the purple seeker, "Alright, alright… I thought that someone on your medical team did that to you and my sister, because of the extra cryostasis pods.", Knock-Out waved off.

The seeker just nodded, while making a frowning impressed expression, "For the record, there was nobody left on our medical team, they all either got deactivated in battle, or are online somewhere, hiding in the vastness of space.", Knightwave trekked onward, stepping over a large rocky cliff, and looking down at a small clearing, "Other than that, we shall continue with our hunt of your conjux, for I have nothing else to say about my past. You know absolutely everything that you need to know, and I thank you for trying to get to know me better.", Knightwave thanked.

"Well over time, you too will get to know me better, and I gotta say I may not be the most likable bot on the Nemesis, but I'm sure as I'm red, that I'm the least annoying.", Knock-Out grinned, only to get a slight snicker from the purple seeker.

* * *

 _ **{The Nemesis}**_

An empty corridor glows a vibrant green, then the glow suddenly stops, turning the corridor back to its original color of dim purple. The light tapping of pedes against metal, vibrate the heavy atmosphere, as a group of colorful bots sneak around the corner for the corridor.

"Autobots, Recon.", Optimus ordered, in a whisper.

Arcee and Bumblebee moved ahead, taking both sides of the corridor, with blasters ready to fire. The trio of Autobots, silently make their way towards the location Starscream provided, as if he knew the route by spark. Thankful that the ex-con was useful for once, Arcee took point looking through each corridor the group passed, so they wouldn't be detected. However, for some reason the whole warship felt as if nobody was around, you'd normally think a ship of that size, and run by Megatron, would be buzzing with activity.

"The ship seems awfully quiet Optimus.", Arcee whispered.

"Even for someone as cruel as Megatron, power down hours are crucial at keeping his troops at optimal efficiency.", Optimus informed, keeping his voice at a low.

"Good timing I guess, and that storm outside would also aid us in our cover." Arcee pointed out, as the lights above flickered, when an audible thundercrack rattled through the hull of the warship.

Optimus gave a slight nod, at the blue femme's perspective, and continued looking around the long corridor for any Decepticons. Noticing the sign was clear, the Prime beckoned his team to follow, their destination clearly in sight, however the sound of dragging pedes from behind them, caught their attention. Immediately hiding in the cervices of the hull, the Autobots hugged the wall as much as they could to keep themselves hidden from the unknown Decepticon.

"You can stop your hiding, I have no intention of killing you.", the sorrowful voice of Dreadwing spoke up.

"Dreadwing.", Optimus announced revealing himself from his cover, only to lay sights on the large seeker, whose frame was dripping water as if he was outside in this inclement weather.

"I know why you are, but a question remains, how did you get aboard this ship?", Dreadwing asked, squinting his solid red optics.

"None of your business 'Con, and what do you mean by not intending to 'kill us'?", Arcee spat, looking up at the menacing seeker.

"I just do not wish to aid a cause, that I no long wish to be apart of, I simply lost all interest", Dreadwing grumbled.

The Autobots couldn't believe what Dreadwing just said, this is Dreadwing a Decepticon whose loyalty to Megatron runs deeper than the pits. Now, here he is telling his mortal enemies, that he 'lost all interest' in the cause he's been apart of for eons. Optimus was astonished that someone like Dreadwing could even turn his back on the 'Cons, Starscream being who he is quit because of his lust of power, but the Prime couldn't think of any reason for Dreadwing to leave. However, this did give Optimus the chance to persuade the seeker in joining the Autobots, if Dreadwing were to join his cause, maybe they could hold their ground against Megatron.

"Dreadwing, I appeal to you again.", Optimus approached the seeker, "Join us and help end this conflict once and for all.", Optimus insisted, holding his ground.

Dreadwing looked to the side, his optics glowing a dim red, with a deep vent he looked back up at the Prime, with an indifferent expression on his faceplate, "Betraying my kind is not the same as accepting yours, however I will try my best to aid you in any way I can, on my end of this conflict.", Dreadwing stated, walking passed the Prime, and the other two Autobots.

"If you are looking for your comrade, he is down this corridor. Follow me and I'll escort you there.", Dreadwing informed, walking down the hall.

"Can we trust him Optimus?", Arcee asked, in a hushed tone.

"If Dreadwing is as loyal as they come, then we must entrust that he keeps his word.", Optimus implied, following the seeker.

"Is that all we're going by? Dreadwing's loyalty?", Arcee asked out loud, only to get a shrug from Bumblebee, who followed the Prime.

The four bots walked down a long corridor, which seemed to be barracks, for the Eradicons who were enjoying their leisure time. Nonetheless, walking deeper down the corridor held a sense of dread and despair. Unlike the rest of the Nemesis, this section of the ship was dark, for the lights seemed to be dimmer. The walls looked as if they were warped, and the metal paneled floor was covered with scratch marks.

 _{What am I doing?}_ , Dreadwing asked himself, shaking his helm, as he approached the double doors leading to the torcher room, _{Helping out the Autobots, never in my wildest dreams, I thought of ever doing this...}_ , the blue seeker thought.

"Beyond this door, will take you into the chamber where Bulkhead resides. I am sorry if you discover him not in one piece…", Dreadwing said solemnly, as he turned to walk away.

"What have the Decepticons done to him?!", Arcee snapped, her blue and pink optics flaring.

Dreadwing stopped in his tracks, looking over his shoulder to lay his sights on the angered femme, his optics dimmed to the point you could see only sorrow.

"Tell me!", Arcee yelled, only to be held back by Bumblebee.

With a deep vent, he continued to walk away, his processor dwelling on his actions, to him his actions just justified his decision, _{I am is no longer a Decepticon.}_

* * *

 _ **{Knock-Out & Knightwave}**_

Knightwave stood with a servo on his chin, while knock-Out had his arms stretched out and servos against the wall, as he looked down his vents indicating his sorrow. The seeker was standing where the broken body of Breakdown should be, except the only thing there was a few specks of blue metal, and tire tracks indicating that someone beat them there, a while ago.

"Blast it to the Pits!", Knock-Out raged, slamming a servo into the rock, "Now we'll never find him…", Knock-Out quivered.

"Not to fast groundpounder, there are still tracks to follow.", Knightwave pointed as the tire tracks carved into the dirt.

"Do you really have to use insults?!", Knock-Out snapped, "And for your information we did lose him, because this may be a dirt trail, but you forgot this planet is inhabited by those humans, and they use asphalt roads. How do you suppose we follow tracks on that?", Knock-Out asked, clearly upset.

"And as for your information, did you forget that I was a Royal Flyer? I've done my fair share, of missing case files before. And if I were hauling a wrecker frame to another location, I'd pick somewhere close by to avoid attention, maybe an abandoned hangar, or some outpost .", Knightwave implied.

"You catch on fast, let me guess you downloaded a file containing information about this planet's inhabitants?", Knock-Out asked, looking down at where his conjux last laid.

"Of course I did, also your sister kept on complaining that I should know more about this world, and she also mentioned getting an Alt mode. She never stops talking... even when I am in control...", the seeker informed, rolling his optics.

"On this planet, that would be called a 'Backseat driver'.", Knock-Out smirked.

Knightwave shook his helm, smirking back at the red mech, only to turn around and follow the tracks. Knock-Out was hesitant at first to follow, for to him this spot was like hallowed ground, the last place his conjux took his last vent. However, he knew that Knightwave was true to his word, true to the deal that they made. They will find Breakdown's remains, and bring him back.

The duo followed the tire tracks, until they noticed that they indeed lead to a road. The sun now loomed in the morning sky, lighting up the once dark forest, to reveal that it was a park, that will soon be crawling with hikers. { _A road, now which direction did they go? Only one way to find out.}_ , Knightwave thought to himself.

"I'm taking to the skies to get a better view of the area, I'll induct further investigation as I pinpoint possible locations of your partner. As for you, I want you to survey the roads, find hidden paths that might lead to unknown outposts.", Knightwave advised.

"Hold up, you don't have an alt mode, and I don't think these humans will react well to a Cybertronian jet.", Knock-Out informed.

"I come equipped with a stealth drive, nobody will be able to see me.", Knightwave stated, then in instant, he transformed into his Cybertronian jet fighter mode.

Knightwave's alt mode was a surprise to Knock-Out, for he had never seen a Royal Flyer up close before. His sleek design and backwards bend wings, was the spitting image of Decepticon engineering, even down to the whining hiss of his engines, not even Starscream could top that elegance. With a howling throttle, Knightwave took to the skies, his stealth drive activating, making him vanish before he even reached the clouds.

"Show off.", Knock-Out snickered, as he transformed to his luxury sports car alt mode, screeched his tires against the asphalt, and driving off in the opposite direction of the seeker.

* * *

 _ **{Dreadwing}**_

The blue seeker, trekked his way down the main corridor, which lead down to the med bay. Dreadwing wasn't in the best of moods, but he knew that in order to keep his betrayal hidden from Megatron, he knew it was of his best interests to act as if he were still a Decepticon. Knowing that Knock-Out, at one point was planning to join that defiler's coup, to extinguish Megatron's spark, and take over the Decepticons. The blue seeker knew, that if anyone knew where Starscream was, it was him.

 _{What am I doing? Have I gone mad with the intent of exterminating Starscream? No, this is justice, and as long as that blasted seeker lives, I will never rest until his spark has been deactivated!}_ , Dreadwing grumbled to himself.

Walking into the med bay, as if nobody's business, Dreadwing was shocked to see that no bot was in sight, not even that red femme Knock-Out claimed to be his deactivated sister. The blue seeker's golden faceplant held the image of scorn, his red optics glowing a furious red, and his servos balling into tight fists. The seeker knew that it was power down hours, but he also knew that some like Knock-Out, wouldn't rest until his sister was well. However, there was the possibility that he was in his private quarters, and it wouldn't hurt to check.

"That blasted dirtkisser!", Dreadwing stormed out of the empty room, and back towards the med bay, glaring at the monitors, "Where have you gone Doctor?", Dreadwing grumbled to himself, smashing a servo against one of the berths, causing it to dent inwards.

 _{One way or another, I will discover what you and that dishonored femme are up to.}_ , the SIC swore.

* * *

 _ **{Meanwhile- Knightwave}**_

The purple seeker soared through the morning sky, his stealth drives making him virtually invisible, as he howled through the air, looking down at all the possible locations of where Breakdown could be. It has well been over 2 hours since the search, but something was gnawing at him, something fowl.

"Knightwave to Knock-Out, any luck of locating anything suspicious, over?", Knightwave transponded.

"What are we, a formal military operation? I think not, and to answer your question, no I haven't found anything. How about you?", Knock-Out asked, almost snickering at Knightwave's compulsive form of talking over the com-link, as if still in the royal flyers.

If Knightwave could roll his optics in this mode, he would. However, the red mech was right, being military formal isn't the norm anymore, rather due to the circumstances of the war, being formal just makes you look like glitch.

"I've pinpointed 5 locations, one however seems to be gaining my interest, I'll send you the coordinates. Meet me there as soon as you can.", Knightwave informed, as he banked his jet mode towards the location, making an audible howling sound, that quaked the sky.

"Whoa, I can hear you from here flyer boy, hopefully nobody heard that.", Knock-Out commented.

"Hm the air resistance here is different from that on our planet, it actually feels better on my wings.", the purple seeker responded.

"Yeah, and don't get me started about this asphalt, oh my tires have never touched such grace, except I have to address that some roads tend to lack maintenance.", the red mech remarked, shuddering over the fact of non-maintained roads, "Oh I forgot to mention, we don't have much time before Power Down hours is over, Lord Megatron only gives us 8 hours to get our beauty sleep. We have giver or take 3 more hours until it's over.", Knock-Out informed.

"If that is the case, we better hope that this is the right location, or we'll have to sneak out when the next power down session is in operation.", Knightwave stated.

"And that isn't til next three days.", Knock-Out informed.

"These 'days' you speak of, are they this planet's equivalent to solar cycles?", Knightwave asked.

"Y-yes, I've been watching to much Earth shows. However, I must say they are very addicting, like this one show about a girl that can use brain powers, its an amazing show…", Knock-Out trailed off.

"Well if you're done thinking about this planet's form of entertainment, you are nearing the location, I'll be waiting for you on the north side of the compound.", Knightwave addressed, as he transformed and landed near the location.

Knock-Out let out a sigh, noticing that the entrance to the compound was a dirt trail, { _Scrap, my finish is going to have to be extra buffered and polished when I get back… but this is for Breakdown.}_ , Knock-Out mentally sighed, driving off the cool asphalt, and onto the dusty trail.

* * *

Knightwave, stood a safe distance from the compound glaring down at the humans, who were dressed in black military gear, as the walked around the the hanger that was in the center. Adjusting his optics, which acted like binoculars, he zoomed to get a closer look at the installation, and without a doubt, he caught a glimpse of what was inside the hangar.

"I have to admit, your assumption was right Tap-Out, you should be proud that you were able to help your brother.", Knightwave spoke to himself.

 _{I'll do anything for him, and I'm grateful that you have no intention of betraying your word.},_ Tap-Out's voice echoed from with Knightwave's thoughts.

"And I'm grateful that we could get along, afterall we come from two different worlds.", Knightwave commented.

 _{We may come from two different worlds, but we're from the same planet, and we share similar views in helping others, even though your approach may seem taboo at first.}_ , Tap-Out implied.

"Well it's not everyday you get your body fused with another, who happens to share the same interests, especially with someone whose brother is just as interesting as his sister.", Knightwave smirked under his visor.

"My my, I'm interesting? That's the nicest thing anyone has ever told me.", Knock-Out chimed from behind the purple seeker, causing him to literally jump out of his frame.

Knock-Out let out a hushed laugh, as the purple seeker gasped for vents, "Holy blasted pits! Give a bot a warning before you sneak up on them like that.", Knightwave gasped.

"Sorry, I just love it when others talk about my elegance.", Knock-Out smirked.

Knightwave just gazed at Knock-Out through his blank visor, this red mech is gonna get it, one way or another he's gonna get him back, { _Aw don't be so aft hurt about it.}_ , Tap-Out laughed.

Standing up straight again, Knightwave collected his feelings, and walked over towards Knock-Out, "Now if we're done fooling around, I do believe that this compound is in fact the location of your conjux.", Knightwave pointed a slender, silver, digit at the main hangar, "With what I've analyzed, he is currently being held within that facility. Which is being guarded by, what it seems to be a military faction, wearing identical black attire. Any idea who they might be?", Knightwave questioned.

"I can already guess who they are.", Knock-Out scolded, "They are those blasted bot fraggers, known as MECH. They tried to experiment on Breakdown before, and ever since they took his right optic, I swore that I'd crush them. I guess that this is our chance, for a little payback.", Knock-Out grumbled, his optics flaring an enraged red.

"I'm right behind you, if they are as bad as you say, we're better off wiping them off the face of this planet.", Knightwave smirked, under his visor.

 _{No you can't do that! Harming the indigenous life, can result in only conflict!}_ , Tap-Out's voice boomed within Knightwave.

"Tap-Out stop being a backseat driver, this is your brother's will, and I oblige to his decision.", Knightwave snapped.

"He's right Tap-Out, I'm not going to sit idly by and let these humans live, they've only caused trouble to our kind, and if we don't end them here, they'll only be a thorn in our side.", Knock-Out sneered, causing Tap-Out's spark to pulse in fear.

 _{What's wrong with you Knock-Out? Why is your spark fading? Is you hatred towards these humans really this bad? The last time your spark faded like this... was when you left...}_ , Tap-Out whispered.

Ignoring Tap-Out's sadness, the purple seeker looked at the angered red mech, "I'll cause a distraction, while you attack the hangar.", Knightwave instructed.

"Make sure to to leave no flesh bag left standing, this is personal business, and I don't want to see one survivor.", Knock-Out demanded, as Knightwave transformed into his jet fighter alt mod.

Knock-Out glared angrily at the compound, then with a snickered huff, an evil grin formed on his faceplate, it was as if pure rage took over his very being. His optics no longer looked like his own, they looked just like a pure hate driven Decepticon.

"Let the fun begin.", Knock-Out grinned, transforming into his alt mode, peering down at the unsuspecting MECH compound, "An eye for an eye, as they say.", the red sports car grumbled, driving off towards the base.

* * *

 _ **End of Chapter Notes:**_ _Back in my edgy highskooler days, I thought this chapter was amazing, and I still do. However, I didn't realize it until now that I did change a lot of the lore... but I actually like it cuz its weird and it makes sense for this fanfic. This chapter did explain a lot about, Airachnid's tragic backstory, and Shockwave's sad upcoming. Nonetheless I had an enjoyable time typing this chapter, and now to the next. Yet again **Thank You for reading** my weird fanfic, and please feel free to leave a response, for I enjoy reading them and I enjoy throwing up rainbows._

 _ps- if you'd like me to explain more behind this story, all you gotta do is ask, and I'll try to explain this story without spoiling the whole thing._

 _pss- I got the idea for Shockwave's backstory from the "Shadowplay" comic, set in the Dark Cybertron series. I think that's where it's from, but if you haven't looked into that yet, I advise that you do, cuz it's so cool and yet so sad. Also to note, I got the name 'Longarm' from Transformers Animated, cuz Shockwave used it when he was in disguise as an Autobot._

 _psss- I got Airachnid's backstory from of course TFA (Transformers Animated), but tweaked it to fit in the Prime Universe. I personally like this, cuz it gives Airachnid a sad truth, that will ultimately change a specific Autobot's view about the freaky spider lady. ;)_


	9. TFP: Sparkless Ch9: Fault

**Disclaimer** **:** _I do not own any of the Transformers characters in the TFP series, nor do I claim ownership of any_ _kind towards anything trademarked. This story is just for fun, and isn't connected towards the true lore behind the franchise. The only things I own are the OCs._

 _ **An Update** **note:** OK be completely honest with me here, what do you guys think of this story? Is it going well? Does it need minor or major adjustments? Because as a writer I like feedback, that critiques my work, and gives me advice to help my story flourish. I know that asking you guys to type up a comment is kinda what I always ask for, but let me tell you, it helps me adjust my style, and helps my editing skills. I'm planning on getting a degree in Creative Writing, and I thrive on feedback, both negative and positive, so please tell me what you think. If you'd like you can PM me about your concerns or complements if you don't want others to see your critique._

 _Other than that, summer is on it's way and after I post this chapter, there may be a prolonged delay for Ch 10, so be mindful that I will be posting Ch 10 within the next few days, I hope this minor inconvenience of Chapter delay doesn't take away the suspense of wanting to read. **So please enjoy Ch9!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 9: Fault**

Inside the dark hangar was a group of MECH scientists, as they worked diligently on reviving their fallen leader. The head scientist working on the project, was in the middle of analyzing a strange structure that was once inside of the deceased Cybertronian's chassis. It was null void of functionality, but for some reason it held a sense of magnetism within the center, for if anything were placed inside of it, the object would stay suspended in air.

Suddenly, without warning a howling thunder rattled the hangar, the ceiling dropping dust, as the scientists look around confused. Not soon after the unexpected fly by, the sound of guns firing caught the group's attention. Screams of agony were heard crying of help, the sound of strange weapons flashed purple through the hangar's windows.

"How did they find us?", a male scientist asked the leader.

"I don't know… PACK UP EVERYTHING!", the lead scientist yelled, "Collect what you can!", he ordered.

"But we can't leave Silas here! We're not done with his reconstruction!", another male scientist yelled.

"We don't have much time!", the leader yelled, but to his unfortunate dismay, the hangar doors burst open, back ground flames blacking out a figure.

"I believe time was never on your side.", the figure hissed, the only thing visible was it's burning red optics, "In a matter of fact, it never was.", a sneering voice growled, servos turning into saws.

The scientists began to beg for mercy, bowing down at the figure's pedes, but this Decepticon had no intention of letting these disgusting creatures, walk away with their lives. Looking over at the gutted blue wrecker, whose frame was standing upright against a wall, only made the 'Cons red optics burn brighter, as if adding fuel to an endless flame of hate.

"Please spare us Lord Megatron!", the lead scientist cried, only remembering that name because Silas mentioned the great leader of the Decepticons, a few times while working with Starscream.

"Now what gave you the impression that I was Megatron? Not that I would deny a compliment.", the figure smirked, revealing his, enraged white, faceplate to the lead scientist.

"However, that would only cost you a bisection, free of charge!", the red mech laughed maniacally, bringing his medical saws close to the scientist.

"Please… no... no… NO!", the scientist's voice echoed throughout the hangar, his cries for help were even heard outside the building, echoing through the forest.

* * *

Knightwave flew overhead, gazing down at the destroyed compound, no survivors as Knock-Out directed, only blooded scorch marks, and burning vehicles. The purple seeker however, wasn't expecting to feel any sympathy towards the deceased, but the more he flew around the compound, the more he started to regret not fully planning an easier way of retrieving Breakdown, without the use of deadly force.

 _Look at what you've done… disaster… broken bodies… how could you be so Sparkless brother… was this really your true nature after all?_ , Tap-Out's cried within Knightwave's conscience.

Hearing Tap-Out's cries, only made the purple seeker feel worse, he never knew that killing these humans, felt exactly the same as killing another Cybertronian. Transforming back to his bot mode, Knightwave walked towards the open hanger doors, however something felt wrong. He could feel Tap-Out's connection with her brother's spark waning, as if their sibling sparkbond has been broken. He immediately began to run over towards the hangar, only to catch sights of a looming shadow, standing over what seemed to be Breakdown's deactivated husk.

"Knock-Out are you alright…", Knightwave stopped in front of the hangar doors, gazing at the red mech with pure horror.

In Knock-Out's right servo was the mangled remains of Silas, the leader of MECH, that he just pulled out of Breakdown's chassis, and scattered around him were the bodies of the scientists.

"Sorry about the mess, wasn't expecting company.", Knock-Out laughed, his optics glowing a sinister red.

Knightwave was at a loss of words, the mech that stood before him wasn't the same Knock-Out he was before, rather this was a totally different bot. Even his posture was different, and his optics held a sadistic glow. Tossing the body he held in his servos to the side like scrap,.

Knock-Out turned around, facing the deactivated Breakdown, "Well stop standing there and help me, we need to gather everything and get back onboard the Nemesis.", Knock-Out ordered, gathering all of the broken pieces of his conjux.

"Are you okay? You don't look good.", Knightwave asked.

"I'm feeling better than I ever I must say. It's as if a part of me that was broken is now repaired, and I can see that all I needed to fix it was… a little thing called revenge.", Knock-Out snickered.

The purple seeker looked over at Knock-Out, his white faceplate looked so sinister, that it could put Megatron to shame. The seeker could feel a heavy presence looming over the red 'Con, the heaviness of his rage rattled his spark to its very core.

 _{Something is wrong with him, I can feel it… and I know that you can feel it too…},_ Tap-Out's voice shuddered, { _I knew that my brother has been known to be a bit melodramatic, but this is way beyond what I initially thought… the last time I felt his spark drift away, was when he walked away from our family… but his spark felt sad then… now all I feel is anger...and rejection…}_ , Tap-Out trembled.

"Don't worry about it, I'll find out what's wrong with him, maybe the source of his condition runs deeper than his hate towards the humans… He must have also used the anger he has over Airachnid, and forced it all out... ", Knightwave whispered to himself, as he picked up all the scattered pieces of Breakdown.

"Oh and Knightwave, would you be so kind and download any files these blood bags have possession of, it'll be of great help.", Knock-Out chimed.

"As you wish.", Knightwave responded, hearing a ting of anger in Knock-Out's voice.

 _{Oh Brother... What has made you so scorn? I need to find out… even if I'm forced to allow you to vent your anger against me…}_ , Tap-Out's voice faded, leaving Knightwave to himself.

* * *

 **{** _ **The Nemesis- Med Bay}**_

Dreadwing sat down on a berth, looking rather unamused, like a father sitting on the front porch waiting for his daughter to come home, after a late night with her boyfriend. He knew that the doctor wasn't on the ship, for he had already checked Knock-Out's private quarters, and the red mech was nowhere to be seen. Knowing that the doctor would soon return to the med bay, he decided to wait to confront him here, where he could have a private conversation with him, regarding Starscream.

Unexpectedly, a groundbridge portal opened up on the far side of the med bay, as the red doctor was seen pulling the deactivated frame of Breakdown aboard the nemesis, with Knightwave following in suit, carrying a few parts.

"Knock-Out? Soundwave? What are you two doing?", Dreadwing growled, gazing at the two mechs, "Wait… you're not Soundwave!", Dreadwing exposed, glaring at the purple seeker.

"Oh please tell someone who cares.", Knock-Out hissed, pulling the deactivated frame up onto a berth, not even caring about his finish.

"What are you planning Knock-Out, and who this…", Dreadwing stopped, as he then noticed Knightwave's Decepticon logo, which was decorated with three diagonal stripes, cutting through the logo.

"Are you a royal flyer?", Dreadwing asked, only to get no response from the purple seeker.

Dreadwing gazed at Knightwave, confused about who he was, and why he was with Knock-Out. Another thing that bugged him was the strange heavy feeling he was getting from the doctor.

"What's going on here? Answer me, I am the Second-in-command, and I demand an explanation!", Dreadwing ordered.

"Go shove it up your aft Commander!", Knock-Out spat, his hate fueled optics burning a glare at Dreadwing.

"How dare you speak to me in that tone! I am your commanding officer!.", Dreadwing sneered, "Now tell me, where were you, who is that seeker, and why you've brought… Breakdown?", Dreadwing gasped, looking at the familiar scarlet faceplate, of Knock-Out's former partner.

Picking up Knock-Out by his shoulder armor, Dreadwing brought him up close to his faceplate, "How did you find his remains?! And what are you planning- you're planning on reviving him aren't you!? Let me guess that seeker over there, he's Rigor Mortis isn't he? Isn't he?!", Dreadwing yelled.

"For the last time, Shove it up YOUR AFT COMMANDER!", Knock-Out repeated, pushing himself out of Dreadwing's grasp.

"I can't believe you, even after our conversation regarding remembering the deactivated. You're supposed to use the fallen as motivation to move forward, not to blindingly purse their reincarnation!" Dreadwing growled, his tone holding disappointment, "What you're trying to do isn't your own will, it's that defiler, of the deceased, who's manipulating you!", Dreadwing pulled out his cannon, and aimed it at Knightwave.

The purple seeker stood shocked, gazing at the glowing end of the cannon, "I'm going to end this once and of all!", the blue seeker roared.

Suddenly, Knock-Out swung his left pede, kicking the cannon up into the air, only for it to land behind the SIC. His optics blaring hatred at Dreadwing, for his rash decision to end both Tap-Out and Knightwave's spark, without fully understanding the situation.

"What in Primus do you think you are doing!?", Dreadwing shouted, growling in anger.

"Protecting my family! Unless you're planning on offlining my sister!?", Knock-Out retaliated, "And if that's the case, I'll gladly rip out your spark! My finish is already ruined, but I'd gladly put that aside for your deactivation!", the red mech glared, standing in front of Knightwave.

Dreadwing stood unmoving, his optics shaking with an unknown feeling, a feeling that he hasn't felt in eons. His very frame quivered with shock, and he couldn't do anything to stop his spark from throbbing.

 _{This feeling… w-what is it? My very being is locked, I can't move my limbs… what's happening to me? Is this really fear? Why am I feeling fear?}_ , Dreadwing thought.

Knightwave gazed at the blue seeker, as he stood there as if in stasis lock. He couldn't help but wonder if Knock-Out's 'new' personality, was the cause of Dreadwing's current state.

"Knock-Out I believe that you should calm down, our current situation may only cause more confusion. Explanation is required for a clearer understanding.", Knightwave explained calmly, putting a servo on the red mech's shoulder.

"Calm down, really? Dreadwing tried to kill you, and my sister! I think we're far from calm!", Knock-Out snapped, brushing his servos off his shoulder.

"It was just a misunderstanding, even though his intention was to kill, I am not harmed, neither is your sister.", Knightwave implied, causing Knock-Out to close his optics in frustration.

The red mech gave an angered huff, his faceplate still holding a sinister look, even though he appeared to be calm. Looking up at Dreadwing's confused expression, Knock-Out opened his optics, still glowing a burning red.

"Commander, I apologize for my actions, I shouldn't have gone against your orders. I've gotten too carried away with my personal wants, however I wish to address you on the current situation.", Knock-Out grumbled, crossing his arms.

Dreadwing shook his helm, snapping himself out of his dazed state. This never happened to him before, nor does he wish to experience it ever again. Nonetheless, he should've let the red mech explain, before jumping to conclusions.

"You don't have to explain anything, for I too need to apologize for my actions. I shouldn't have threatened you, or that seeker, it was a mistake that I wish to mend, if you'd let me.", Dreadwing sighed, feeling the heaviness in his spark dissipate.

"How noble of you, except for two things, I don't want your pity, or your company, so take my advice and leave.", Knock-Out sneered, pointing at the exit.

"As you wish.", Dreadwing said dryly, turning around, picking up his cannon, and walking out of the med bay.

"That could've ended better.", Knightwave sighed.

"Oh and how would've you liked it done?", Knock-Out scoffed.

"By further explanation, he could've been a good asset, in aiding us in our goals.", the purple seeker implied.

"Is that so? Well I don't like that lugnut anyways, but if it's alright with you, I'd like to talk to my sister.", Knock-Out put his servos on his hips.

"I'm sorry to inform, but she refuses to speak with you at this time, for she is focusing on other matters.", Knightwave informed.

"What?!", Knock-Out snapped, "Tap-Out I know that you can hear me, I want to talk to you.", Knock-Out scowled.

"She apologizes for not wanting to speak to you.", Knightwave informed, "However, she will speak to you later."

"Fine! Knightwave, I'll be in my private quarters until power down hours is over, come wake me 20 minutes before it ends, that should be within the next 2 hours.", Knock-Out ordered, but just before he reached the door, he turned back towards him, "And make sure that my sister is ready for Lord Megatron, I believe he wishes to address her welcome, personally.", Knock-Out added, before finally walking out of the med bay.

* * *

Glaring at the closing med bay doors, Knightwave was finally able to 'relax', adjusting his formal pose to that of a comfortable slouch, "I believe that all what we've done, was only sparked more conflict.", Knightwave sighed.

 _{You're telling me, I've never seen my brother act this way before.},_ Tap-Out shuddered, her voice sounding weak, {It's as if he's a total different mech now...}, she implied.

"Don't worry about a thing, I tend to keep my deals, and as an added bonus I'll find out what's troubling your brother. I don't want to see history repeat itself, it's the least I could do to prevent what has befallen my own past.", Knightwave implied, putting a servos over his chest plate.

 _{You know that you're the most craziest seeker, that I've ever met?}_ , Tap-Out chimed.

"Yeah and your not the first grounder to tell me that... Mortis was always pointing out the obvious, not matter how much I tried to hide my own faults.", Knightwave signed, remembering Mortis, and all that she was.

 _{Rigor Mortis was a grounder? I was under the impression that she was seeker.}_ , Tap-Out implied.

"She was indeed a grounder, but why would that hold an significance?", Knightwave asked, only for his optics to grow wide, "Blast it to the pits! I forgot that our shared form was a triple changer, if they found out at she wasn't a seeker, the Decepticons will surly suspect something.", the purple mech ran over to a console, looking up any logged references about Rigor Mortis.

"As of what I've found, there are no logged information referring to Mortis' description.", Knightwave sighed.

 _{What about Soundwave?! He's seen what Rigor Mortis actually looks like!}_ , Tap-Out recalled.

Knightwave's sensor arrays shot up into the air, his optics shaking with shock. How could he forget about his brother? This was troublesome news, Soundwave is currently aboard the Nemesis, and is Megatron's right hand mech, nothing gets passed his brother's foresight. The purple seeker just stood there, his whole frame trembling with fear, a type of fear that cut through him like the time he was forced to fight his brother.

 _{Knightwave this isn't your fault, we could try to explain this-}_ , Tap-Out tried to help, only to be cut off by the seeker.

"No, that won't work… to them I was deactivated eons ago, and if my brother finds me here… online… he'll surely deactivate me, us, on the spot.", Knightwave shuddered.

 _{Unless we find a way of influencing Megatron to think otherwise. Look at that file, it contains a set of codes referring to that of the Iacon relics.}_ , Tap-Out implied, pulling up a file on Knightwave's visor.

"Wait you can decrypt Iacon codes, just by looking at them? I've been studying Alpha Trion's decryptions for eons, but I could never understand them."

 _{Let's just say that I got bored._ , Tap-Out chimed, displaying a set of 4 coordinates, _I tend to pick up on coding fast, and cracking Alpha Trion's was a passion of mine, during the war. Also, while you were downloading the ship's logs, you also downloaded these sets of codes. These codes then translated to a set of 4 coordinates, which I then discovered to be specific locations on this very planet.}_ , Tap-Out informed.

"How convenient, when did you have the time to plan this out?", Knightwave asked.

 _{When I get stressed, I tend to do things to get unnecessary pressures off my drives}_., Tap-Out implied, { _My brother, when we were still a family, used to polish everything when he was stressed, and as for me… I used to crack codes. It was something my sire taught me to do, he learned it from an archivist in Iacon, and he passed on that knowledge to me.}_ , she explained.

"Well your little hobby, has certainly helped out our situation. Do you think it'll work?", Knightwave asked.

 _{If I was a hulking beast, trying my best to defeat Optimus Prime, then yes these coordinates are the key to victory.}_ , Tap-Out sighed, knowing that if she gives these coordinates to Megatron, then this marks her transition into a Decepticon.

"These are the coordinates to the Iacon relics?", Knightwave asked.

 _{Yes they are…}_ , Tap-Out answered.

"I see… I understand if you are feel like you're betraying your cause, but if we don't get these coordinates to Megatron, then both of us will betray Knock-Out… I gave him my word, I will separate us, end Airachind's existence, and I will revive Breakdown. I'm a bot of my word, and I'll make sure to keep on living, if Primus forbids it.", Knightwave stated, venting a deep huff.

 _{I know at first I didn't trust you, but I now know that your spark, is in the right place. If we must commit a wrong to create a right, then by all means, let's do this… for my brother.}_ , Tap-Out empathized, feeling Knightwave's spark pulse with acceptance.

"For your brother, and for all those who fell during the war.", Knightwave tilted his helm, then he began to access an Autobot transmission.

 _{What are you doing?}_ , Tap-Out gasped.

"Just giving old Megs a run for his glory, we can't just give the bot who ruined our lives, an easy situation can we?", Knightwave snickered.

 _{I like your style, I think I should learn to follow your example.},_ Tap-Out complemented.

"Yeah and you should teach me how to decrypt codes, since we'll be together for a while.", Knightwave smiled.

 _{Literally.}_ , Tap-Out laughed, only to get a slight chuckle from the purple seeker.

* * *

 _ **{Autobot base- 7 hours ago}**_

An uneasy feeling clouded the air, within the Autobot base, Ratchet was on his console when he got a call from the team, "Ratchet, we are requesting a groundbridge…", Optimus's voice requested, over the com-link.

"Optimus, did you have any luck in finding Bulkhead? Does he require any medical assistance?", Ratchet asked.

"No, he won't be needing any medical treatment… not anymore.", Optimus sighed, a heavy tone of sorrow in his voice.

"Optimus, you don't mean… you don't mean he's…", the aged doctor stood aback, never in his wildest of dreams, he thought this would happen, "Alright, I'm opening the groundbridge…", Ratchet grieved, closing his optics.

When the green vortex opened, there was a moment of anticipation, Ratchet was in a stage of denial, there was no possible way Bulkhead, of all bots, can be gone. However, that moment was crumbled, when Optimus walked into the base, pulling behind him a levitating berth, with a tarp over a still frame. Bumblebee was walking besides the berth, blue optics leaking coolant, the same with Arcee, who dragged her pedes behind the two mechs.

"Bulkhead…", Ratchet lamented, as the groundbridge closed, "Optimus… what happened?", Ratchet asked, his optics shaking with sorrow.

"The 'Cons that's what happened!", Arcee grumbled, her optics glowing a deep vengeful blue, "They did this! They scrapped him! It's all their fault! He's gone, and we couldn't do anything about it!", Arcee yelled, as coolant spewed from her optics.

"Arcee, we did not know of Bulkhead's situation, if we were aware we'd act sooner. Even though we lost a treasured comrade today, doesn't mean we've lost hope in resolving this conflict.", Optimus implied.

However, Arcee wasn't as optimistic as the Prime, all she wanted was to beat the aft of whoever deactivated Bulkhead, even if that means turning that bot into a pile of scrap. She missed her chance at deactivating Starscream, for the death of her partner Cliffjumper, and Airachnid for Tailgate, but this time she won't hold back. At that moment, the blue femme stormed off to her private quarters, servos balled into tight fists, as she stomped away.

The three mechs watched, as the two wheeler walked away, Optimus gazed at Arcee with sorrow filled optics. Looking at Ratchet, Optimus noticed that he too had the face of despair, knowing that losing Bulkhead, held a greater impact on those who got to know him. Realizing this, Optimus could only think of the reaction waiting for him, when the humans find out about Bulkhead's deactivation.

Miko would certainly feel the brunt of the impact, for she was Bulkhead's friend, and the one who he swore to protect. Now that Bulkhead is gone, she'll be without a guardian, and he could only guess how much pain this'll cause her.

Breaking the silence, Ratchet walked over towards the main hallway of the base, "I'll get the funeral preparations underway, it'll be better if we prepare for it now.", The old doctor spoke softly, "Bumblebee would you mind helping me dig a grave next to Cliffjumper's?", Ratchet asked, in a saddened tone.

Bumblebee nodded, with a low toned buzz, following Ratchet towards the base's lift. Optimus stood, looking down at the tarp, that covered Bulkhead's still frame, remembering all the battles fought with his friend. Putting a servo on the tarp, Optimus mumbled a few words to Bulkhead, before walking over towards the green monitors.

Taking a deep vent, the Prime accessed the Autobot's com-link system, "Agent Fowler.", Optimus stated.

"What is it Prime, your voice sounds as bad as a broken fax machine.", Agent Fowler replied.

"I would like you to pick up the children... we have a lot to discuss.", Optimus sighed.

"Does this have to deal with Bulkhead, how is he?", Agent Fowler asked.

"Unfortunately, he is no longer with us.", Optimus mourned.

Agent Fowler didn't respond, sinking onto his office chair, he couldn't believe what he just heard. Putting a hand over his face, the middle aged man pulled himself back up, leaning into his hands.

"I understand, and if you don't mind, I'd like to give Bulkhead a military send off, it's the best we can do to honor all that he has done.", Agent Fowler replied.

"That would be much appreciated Agent Fowler, I believe Bulkhead wouldn't want it done any other way.", Optimus thanked.

"Your welcome Prime, and I hope that in time, good fortune comes for you and the rest of your team. Fowler out.", he said, before before hanging up the com-link.

Optimus took a deep vent, now with Bulkhead gone, his team will need more fortune, if they hope to pose any threat towards the Decepticons. Megatron has an armada, while the Autobots only have each other, but that doesn't mean they are helpless. Bulkhead's death will only serve as motivation for his team, not as an anchor to hold his team back, and he'll make sure that the Decepticons will never win.

* * *

 _ **{The Nemesis- current time}**_

Knock-Out lay in power down, but something was wrong, his frame was twitching as his cables and pistons flinched. His internal temperature was rising, making it very uncomfortable to stay in power down, it was as if his energon was boiling. {I hate you,} thundered in his processor, {You're nothing but a monster!,} a voice echoed with his processor. It was as of thousands of voices were shouting insults at him, rattling his mind with self doubt.

"Knock-Out.", a voice called, vibrating through his frame.

"Knock-Out.", the voice called again, causing the other voices to fade.

The red mech began to hypervent, his whole frame felt as if it was on fire, never before has he felt this type of overwhelming pain, "Knock-Out!", the voice yelled, causing him to shoot up from the berth, venting deeply, as he gripped his chassis.

Looking around confused, Knock-Out caught glimpse of a pair of purple optics staring at him, they gazed at the shaken mech with concern. Tap-Out put a servo, on her brother's shoulders, her white faceplate holding a saddened looked, for she couldn't feel her brother's spark.

"Tap-Out… what are you doing here? Is power down hours over already?", Knock-Out asked, his optics still the same rage filled red as before, and his faceplate engraved with anger.

"Are you feeling okay?", Tap-Out asked quietly.

"I don't know… I can't feel much of anything… I can't explain it… what happened?", Knock-Out asked, putting a servos on his forehead.

"You don't remember what happened?", she asked.

"No, not really. I can't recall anything… if feels like a dream… a bad one at that.", Knock-Out sighed, then noticing his servos looking a bit strange.

Looking at his servos, he noticed that the were covered in this dark ashy substance, to come to think of it, his whole chassis down to his pedes, had random blotches of this ash. Knock-Out looked at himself with a sense of disgust, he was filthy, down right atrocious, and not to mention his polish was dull.

"What have I been crawling in!", Knock-Out yelped, jumping off of his berth.

"It'll take hours to buffer this out! Is that rust?!", Knock-Out panicked, only to be slapped by Tap-Out.

"You blasted Knock-Off! Stop fooling around! What's the matter with you?", Tap-Out vented, gazing at her brother, who just stood there.

Knock-Out's optics began to rattle, as his memory began to flood back into his processors, each image more horrific than the rest. His drives began to heat up, with more information that coursed through his mind, his optics flashed as his memories finally finished.

"So it wasn't a dream… and you really hit me… I don't know what's going on, but I hate it…", the red mech mumbled.

"See that's your problem, you hate everything. Ever since you were a youngling, you've always made the excuse that you 'hated everything', and even now that's possibly your favorite word to use!", Tap-Out snapped.

Knock-Out looked at his sister, she was always the same, always telling him his faults, always telling him what he's doing wrong, but never telling him how to fix any of it. She reminded him a lot of their sire, all talk but no action, it made him angry just thinking about him, thinking about his past, and thinking about what he lost.

"Why did you refuse to talk to me earlier? Why did you hide from me?", Knock-Out asked, glaring into his sister's eyes.

"I was doing something, and I deemed it more important at the time?", Tap-Out informed.

"Too important? I wanted to talk to you, couldn't you spare me the time?", the red mech asked, his optics still glowing the sinister red.

"What if I didn't want to talk to you hu? After the actions you pulled, I got stressed out and ignored you.", she scoffed.

"Does it look like I wanted to be ignored?!", Knock-Out exclaimed.

"Well how should I know! I can't even feel your emotions anymore! It's as if your spark just disappeared! You crossed the line when you killed those humans, and now you want me to just talk to you!?", Tap-Out yelled.

 _{Tap-Out calm down, you don't want to do anything too rash…},_ Knightwave's voice whispered.

"Knock-Out please, tell me what's wrong… I'm your sister, I'll always be here for you…", the dark red femme pleaded.

"If you were always there for me, where were you when sire crushed my dreams? Where were you when he literally ran me off, when I wanted to be something he didn't want me to be? Where were you?", Knock-Out asked, walking up to face his sister. "You weren't there, you were never there, all you did was ignore me, like I was a pile of scrap… like the pile of scrap I found your remains in.", the red mech looked down at his sister, her small frame trembling with sorrow.

"You found my deactivated frame…", Tap-Out whispered, her voice fading in and out of audible range.

"Yes I did, and I shed tears over your deactivation, however that all ended… my only motivation from that point one was to seek your vengeance. So I stayed with the Decepticons in hope of bringing them down from the inside, one surgery at a time. I became really good at tearing metal apart, but once MY Breakdown was murdered by that wrench, I sought more VENGEANCE.", the red mech glared down at his sister, her violet optics shuddering.

"Your only reason for existing is vengeance? That's a life wasted on a pointless goal…", Tap-Out hesitated, her very being shaken with sadness.

"To you it may be pointless, but before you came back I had nobody. I had nothing but my thirst for revenge, not even Lord Megatron could foresee my true intent. I just became that good at concealing my true motives, and I must say I've been doing it in style.", Knock-Out snickered.

"You blasted slaghead! I'm back, isn't that enough for you? You said that you didn't want to lose me again, but why are you pushing me away?", Tap-Out fretted, glaring at her younger brother, with optics full of worry.

Knock-Out looked at his older sister, even though she was a triple changer, she still looked exactly the same as she did eons ago. It was as if she never aged, even her now violet optics held a sense of the past, reminding him of all pain... the pain of rejection. Nonetheless, Knock-Out felt his spark pulse, it wasn't pulling towards his sister, but that in the direction of Breakdown, the only mech who accepted him the way he was.

"Am I really the one pushing you away, or are you the one pushing me?", Knock-Out asked, glaring at Tap-Out whose faceplate held the expression of shock.

"I felt it back when we were looking for Breakdown, the moment you felt my true intentions, you ran off just like you did back on Cybertron. Instead of facing your problems head on, you hid from me. You've always hid from your troubles, and pinned the blame on someone else.", the red mech exposed.

Tap-Out couldn't believe it, but her brother was right, he was right all along. She was hiding from him, she always hid from her brother, not because she didn't love him, but because she was scared of him. She was always scared of him, even before he became a Decepticon, her brother always had this looming shadow over him. It was as if he was the embodiment of all her fears, collected into one individual, and that individual was her sibling. Even with their sibling sparkbound, she knew that it was rare for those who were born meta-cycles apart to have one, but for some reason they were bonded. It frightened her, to not only be sharing feelings with another, but also having to share their thoughts, it has always been frightening.

When she died during the war, she knew that her brother would feel her demise, but when she was about to enter the Allspark, it was as if something was holding her back. It was as if she was tethered to the living world, and no matter how hard she tired, she couldn't rest in peace. Was it her brother's lust for vengeance that kept her tethered, or was it their bond? This flash of realization, made her feel as if these analytical thoughts weren't her own, which also made her feel just as awkward in this situation.

"You're right… you're right… all my life I've been blaming you, I've been blaming you for everything. Slaggit, I'm probably the reason why you changed… it's my fault… for everything…", Tap-Out agonized, falling to her knees.

 _{Tethered sparks…},_ Knightwave mumbled, listening to Tap-Out's thoughts.

Knock-Out knelt over, put a servo under his sister's chin, his optics no longer looked like that of hate, and his faceplate no longer sinister. He looked like himself again, he looked like her brother again.

"You were always a big whiner too.", Knock-Out commented, before standing back up, and holding out a servo, "Come on, we have to head back to the med bay, my finish won't polish itself.", Knock-Out grinned, grabbing hold of Tap-Out's servos, and hoisting her up.

Looking into her brothers red optics, Tap-Out let out a calm sigh, "Before we go, Knightwave would like to speak to you.", the red femme announced.

Knock-Out looked at his sister, raising an optic ridge at her, "Okay, and when did you two start talking? Not that I don't mind you talking to other mechs.", the red mech implied.

Rolling her optics, Tap-Out put her servos on her hips, "We're fused together, it's not like we don't talk to each other through thought. Besides I trust him, his spark's in the right place, and he has a plan that could help both us live on this ship, without Megatron trying to deactivate us.", Tap-Out implied.

"Alight, I'm all audios.", Knock-Out chimed.

Tap-Out nodded her helm, and in one swift transformation, Knightwave stood in her place, "I'll inform you of our plan, while we walk to the med bay.", the purple seeker stated.

"Are you sure we won't be caught?", Knock-Out asked.

"Just like you said before, as sure as I'm purple. Besides, I've been told that I'm a maestro with a rotary buffer, unless you'd like your sister to help you?", Knightwave smirked, "And she has informed me that she hasn't done body work in eons.}, he snickered.

 _{Luring him out with temptation? Either you're an evil genius, or just plain old mean.}_ , Tap-Out laughed, which only made Knightwave

"I can't say no to a finish like yours.", Knock-Out chimed, noticing Knightwave's crystal sheen.

 _{Now I see why you wanted to polish yourself, I just thought you were a fashionista like my brother… you are certainly just plain old mean.}_ , Tap-Out giggled, how could this mech make her feel so comfortable?

* * *

 _ **{Autobot base- late afternoon}**_

The sounds of gunfire echo through the Jasper, Nevada air, as a small group of humans, and Cybertronian alike, stand circling a pile of rocks. Agent William Fowler, wore his old Army Rangers uniform, as he handed Miko, who was wearing a black dress, a folded up Autobot flag. The teenage girl, who was normally full of energy, had the face of despair, for her guardian Bulkhead had met his end, by the hands of the Decepticons.

Following the burial ceremony everyone, except Miko, went back inside the Autobot base. The teenage Japanese girl, sat with her legs pressed against her chest, her brown eyes glistening from the setting sun, as a stream for tears roll down her cheeks. Miko was feeling horrible, she just lost her best friend, and she wasn't there to save him, she wasn't even aware of his deactivation.

Sobbing to herself, she didn't even notice Wheeljack, who slowly walked up to her, "Hey kid?", he asked in a solemn tone, looking at the fresh mount of rocks, "Bulkhead...", Jackie whimpered.

"He's gone Jackie… he's actually gone…", Miko sobbed.

"I just got the transmission, not even a few cycles ago...", Wheeljack sighed, his tone holding sorrow.

"We tried calling you, but you- you didn't answer…:, Miko sobbed.

"What happened to him?", Jackie asked, sounding a bit angry.

"H-he was captured by Decepticons, a-and was tortured… he died because th-they didn't know w-where he was…", Miko stuttered, sobbing with every breath.

Wheeljack stood shaking like a leaf, his servos balled into fists, his faceplate gaunt as he closed his optics tight. The feeling of burning hate roared from inside his chassis, his spark pulsing with the intent to offline every last Decepticon. Jackie knew that someone was at fault for Bulkhead's deactivation, and once he finds whoever did this, he'll break every last piston, rip out every last fuel line, and tear out their spark.

"Miko, don't tell any of the others I was here, okay.", Jackie said dryly.

"Where are you going?", Miko asked, weakly.

"I'm going to do something really stupid, and I don't want any of them to follow me.", he seethed, optics burning an intense blue.

"If you're gonna hunt down the 'Con who killed Bulkhead, take me with you.", Miko raged, getting up off the ground, and looked up at the aged wrecker.

"Sorry kid, this mission is too dangerous for a human. Besides Bulkhead would never forgive me, if I took you with me.", Wheeljack implied, before turning around, to walk away.

"He was my partner too, and I want to avenge him as much as you do.", Miko shouted.

"I'm sorry, but I can't allow you to follow me. Just forget I was ever here, and forget I even mentioned anything. I can't lose two friends, at least I can avenge one.", he ordered, walking away from Miko, as she stood there alone.

Breathing in heavily, Miko's brown eyes flashed with pure rage, "Bulkhead, one way or another I will find a way to avenge you. With or without Wheeljack.", Miko sneered, she too walking away, in the opposite direction Wheeljack was walking, leaving the burial site alone.

* * *

 **End of Chapter Notes:** _This chapter needed some major editing, in the notebook I wrote the original story, the pencil I used to write this chapter seemed to be like a 4B, or a lead type that can be easily_ _smeared... this has happened to my other chapters as well... So yeah Imagine trying to read a book, where almost all the letters are warped, that is what I have to deal with. No lie I had to ask my creative writing teacher for help... and it went better than expected! She actually liked my story and helped me with the argument part! I'm so happy for her support! I'm so happy! And I hope you guys are just as happy with this chapter! **Thank You for reading** , and thanks for supporting this story!_


	10. TFP: Sparkless Ch10: Blame

**Disclaimer** **:** _I do not own any of the Transformers characters in the TFP series, nor do I claim ownership of any_ _kind towards anything trademarked. This story is just for fun, and isn't connected towards the true lore behind the franchise. The only things I own are the OCs._

 _ **An Update** **note:** Whoo whoop~ Chapter 10! Oh yeah! I'm just so happy that I was able to write this chapter! and the story is FAR from over... yeah! I hope you guys like the new cover! Isn't it the kooliest! So other than that... I've got something very important to address, I won't be posting in a while, not because I'm lazy, but I'm gonna be typing all the other ,chapters up to 15, and I'm hoping my plan works. This is how it's gonna go: So my game plan is, I'm gonna type up all the chapters up to 15, in google docs, don't care about the editing, then once I'm done with the those chapters, I'm gonna start editing them, and post the finished chapters. Sounds good? I hope so. But that's all I have to say about that. **Enjoy chapter 10!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 10: Blame**

The familiar sound of a rotary buffer, can be heard echoing through the corridors of the Nemesis. It seemed that Megatron had extended the off hours for Power down, instead of the average 8, it was extended to over 12. Inside the med bay, Knock-out was adoring his clean finish, he was stunned on how well Knightwave made his finish glow, all it took was 3 long hours of buffing and polish.

"I haven't been this exquisite is weeks! My polish is so dazzling!", the red mech gawked.

"Glad I could help with your finish, now what would you like me to do about your faceplate, it seems a bit cracked from-?", Knightwave asked.

"My faceplate? What's wrong with my face?!", Knock-Out gasped, looking at his own reflecting through the blacked out windows on his forearms.

"By the Allspark! Get the sealant! Get the paint!", Knock-Out screamed, noticing the cracks on his faceplate.

The purple seeker watched, as the red mech ran around the med bay, in search for the supplies he required to fix something that'll he'll never be able to conceal.

 _{Now look what you've done…}_ , Tap-Out sighed.

"What don't blame me, I was just pointing out the obvious.", Knightwave snickered to himself.

 _{At least let me fix his face, I did happen to learn a few things about cosmetics, back during medical training.}_ , Tap-Out explained.

"Alright, same here, but he's your brother.", Knightwave shrugged, giving Tap-Out control of their shared form.

Knock-Out who was too preoccupied, and didn't even notice Tap-Out transforming behind him. The red femme, knew exactly what she was looking for, and found everything she needed to fix Knock-Out's appearance, right on top of the table in front of her. This reminded her of the good old days, back when she and her brother were just younglings, Knock-Out would lose everything, only for her to find the missing item in the most obvious of places. With a slow shake of her helm, Tap-Out walked over to her frantic brother, and put a servo on his shoulder.

"Would you stop acting like a drama queen, come on, I found the stuff you need.", Tap-Out grinned, gazing at her brother's smiling faceplate.

"Where would I be without you?", Knock-Out asked.

"I don't know… Velocitron?", Tap-Out laughed, walking back towards the medical station.

"Oh boy, I wish. I heard, before the place went to scrap, it was thriving with fast bots, and beautify designed alt modes, with stunning finishes. My kind of planet.", Knock-Out chimed, imaging the vast deserts, and gleaming paint jobs.

 _{I've been there, isn't all that. Just imagine a whole planet, where the whole population is nothing but Knock-Out. I can hear them complaining right now… 'Oh my finish! This blasted desert is causing my paint to peel, ahhhh!'. A bunch of narcissistic dirtkissers if you ask me.}_ , Knightwave implied, causing Tap-Out burst into laughter.

Knock-Out raised an optic ridge at his laughing sister, was it something he said? Or was it something that purple seeker said? Knock-Out didn't know the reason for her laughter, but he wanted to find out. Walking over towards the medical station, Knock-Out stopped in front of his smiling sister, her faceplate glowing a light red.

"What's so funny?", He asked.

"Pfff oh you know, I'm just happy that I could be your cosmetologist today.", Tap-Out proclaimed, trying to keep herself from laughing.

Nodding suspiciously, Knock-Out laid down on the berth, and adjusted it's angle so his sister could work. The red femme, picked up the canister of sealant, and with a flat knife she started to apply the silicon based substance on her brother's faceplate.

"So regarding what Knightwave told me on the walk here… are you sure Lord Megatron will accept your offer?", the red mech asked.

"If your master is as smart as he is reckless, he won't be able to refuse these coordinates, unless he wants the Autobots to beat him to the Iacon relics.", Tap-Out implied.

"These relics… we've discovered a few in the past, but these you recently pinpointed, what do they do exactly?", Knock-Out questioned, while his sister began to burnish his faceplate, rubbing in the sealant until it was smooth.

"Alpha Trion sent these relics to Earth, but I for one have no idea which relics they may be. They vary from different designs, both Autobot and Decepticon respectively. The only way to find out which relics they are, is by finding them.", Tap-Out explained, grabbing an airbrush, and filling it with white paint.

"I have another question, what did you mean by 'unless he wants the Autobots to beat him'? You didn't happen, to send said coordinates to the Autobots? That'll be treason.", Knock-Out remarked, closing his optics, while his sister sprayed the paint on his faceplate.

"It's just an insurance measure, that's all. Nothing that should concern you.", the red femme stated, finishing up the patch work.

"I trust you on this one, but if anything were to happen, I'll pin the blame on you Knightwave.", Knock-Out sneered, gazing into Tap-Out's violet optics, as if staring straight at the purple seeker.

 _{I can't figure out who's more frightening, Megatron or your brother…}_ , Knightwave commented.

"Don't over complicate things, besides Knightwave wasn't the one who suggested this plan, I did.", Tap-Out explained, "I cracked the codes, and I came up with the plan, Knightwave just encouraged me to proceed, so he could work without having to worry about having a target painted on his back.", the red femme implied.

"As witty as always, but not all your plans ended well… I could recall a few failed plans of yours, that landed us, presumably me, in trouble.", Knock-Out specified, making the red femme glow with embarrassment.

"Hey it isn't my fault that you're horrible at taking orders…", Tap-Out pouted, looking away from her brother.

"Don't use that excuse on me, you knew the risks, and you knew that our creators where strict.", Knock-Out accused, stepping off of the berth.

"Yeah but we were younglings, I wasn't expecting them to react the way they did. Besides, life lesson learned right?", Tap-Out shrugged.

 _{I've got no clue, of what you two are talking about, but by Primus you two fight a lot…}_ , Knightwave sighed, wishing that he could ignore the red sibling's conversation, bit it was too interesting.

"What are you blabbering about? I was the one who learned the life lessons, while you got off easy with a slap on the wrist.", the red mech remarked, crossing his arms.

Tap-Out looked at her younger brother, Knightwave was right, they do fight a lot, they were fighting the moment Knock-Out found out she was alive, and even before then. Siblings should not be bonded by conflict, but rather the love they share between another, however Tap-Out knew that the past still affected the present. The red femme had no choice, she had to accept who her brother is, and always will be, a Decepticon.

However before Tap-Out could say anything, the double doors to the med bay opened, revealing that of Dreadwing. The blue seeker didn't look amused at all, his golden faceplate said it all, he was upset for whatever reason. His red optics glared at the two red siblings, as he raised an optic ridge at the sight.

"I apologize for my intrusion, but Lord Megatron demands both of you to report to the bridge.", Dreadwing announced.

"Couldn't he have called? There's a monitor right here.", Knock-Out stated, in an annoyed tone.

"He ordered me to retrieve you myself, unless you'd like to disobey our master's direct orders?", Dreadwing asked, a slight growl to his voice.

"No I wouldn't want to do that, my finish has already suffered enough.", Knock-Out sighed, walking over towards the exit, waving at his sister to follow.

"So this is your old sibling?", Dreadwing asked, as the red femme approached the doors.

Tap-Out stopped in front of the blue seeker, she looked up with a small smile on her faceplate, as her violet optics peered into his red ones, "I understand that you are the loyal and traditional type of mech. I hope that my presence doesn't cause you too much discomfort, I am aware of my faults, and I do not blame you if you see me as a disgrace.", the red femme bowed her helm, in respect for the SIC.

Dreadwing was surprised on how respectful this femme was, compared to her brother, it was uncanny to him on how she understands his beliefs. With a small smile, that nobody thought this blue seeker was capable of, Dreadwing bowed his helm in response to Tap-Out's kind words. Knock-Out however, rolled his optics at the sight, to him his sister's way of showing respect, was down right annoying.

"We better no keep our master waiting.", Knock-Out implied, walking ahead of the trio.

 _{You're brother seems to be embarrassed by you.}_ , Knightwave stated.

"Now what gave you that idea?", Tap-Out whispered.

 _{Oh just the body language, and optic rolls. A clear indication of embarrassment.}_ , Knightwave pointed out.

"I was being sarcastic.", she responded.

 _{I figured much, but you're the one who's nervous.}_ , Knightwave remarked.

"Of course I'm nervous, Knock-Out was right about my plans tending to fail, what if Megatron doesn't take our offering, or worse he takes it and then deactivates us?!", Tap-Out stressed, trying to keep her voice down.

 _{Calm down, you're stressing over nothing. This plan of yours will not fail, I believe in you.}_ , Knightwave comforted, using his soothing voice to calm the red femme down.

"Thank you…", Tap-Out sighed.

With a healed confidence, Tap-Out casually followed her brother, and Dreadwing towards the bridge. The red femme triple changer, played out how she ,and Knightwave would explain their fusion, and why they both are more valuable online than offline. Hopefully after the conversation, Knightwave will be able to repair Breakdown, and separate their sparks. Without a single doubt on her mind, the group made it to the double automatic doors of the bridge.

* * *

 _ **{Meanwhile- Autobot base}**_

The Autobot base held a seldom feel, there was light chatter between the remaining team of Cybertronians, and the same with the only humans present. June and Agent Fowler were conversing, while sitting down around a table, while Jack and Raf sat down on the couch, with the TV set to low. Bumblebee and Arcee were slumped against a wall, while Ratchet and Optimus talked about what to do, since Bulkhead wasn't around anymore.

Jack sat with his knees to his chest, thinking about what's going through Miko's mind, she's been outside for the past 3 hours, and it's starting to get late. The young teen didn't know what to do, Team Prime was down one member, and the only one who could possibly fill his shoes is Wheeljack, but he's never around. All this thinking about Miko made him wonder, what would happen if Arcee or Bumblebee died? Would Team Prime be able to stop the Decepticons, or will all hope be lost?

Then, cutting off his thinking, Miko threw herself in between Jack and Raf, folding her arms, and pouting her lips. She didn't look so good, her eyes were red, and her face was pale, as if she was crying a lot, and Jack couldn't blame her. The young Asian girl, looked off into the distance, her eyebrows tilted on her forehead, giving her an hate filled scowl.

"Miko? Are you ok?", Raf asked, concerned.

"I'm doing good Raf, never better.", Miko huffed, getting off her seat, her tone filled with anger.

"Are you sure? You're looking a bit sick?", Jack questioned, looking at Miko's sweating face.

"I said I'm f-", Miko began to cough violently, grabbing her chest, as she tried to stop.

Hearing the young teen's hoarse cough, June got up from the her conversation, and ran over to Miko's side, "Miko are you alright!?", June asked, holding Miko in her arms.

However, Miko couldn't speak, she was out of breath and exhausted. Feeling her forehead, June could tell that Miko was having a fever, and waved Agent Fowler over.

"Miko needs medical attention, in my car I have an emergency medical kit with supplies that could calm her fever.", June explained, Jack and Raf got off the couch, so could lay Miko down.

Optimus noticing the incident, put a pause to his conversation with Ratchet, and walked over towards the humans. Optimus' sudden movement, caught Arcee and Bumblebee's attention, and they too got up from the floor and walked over towards Miko.

"What seems to be the issue?", Optimus asked.

"I think Miko is suffering from Heat exhaustion, she must've been outside for too long.", June explained.

"Not to mention that it's nearing summer, the temperature outside must be at least 95 degrees.", Raf spoke up, his comment made June nod her head.

"Is there anything we can do to help?", Arcee asked.

"A cooler environment, and water.", June implied, when Agent Fowler ran up to her with a medical kit.

"Will she be alright? Do we need to take her to the hospital?", Fowler questioned, sounding out of breath.

"If her condition worsens, but she seems stable.", June addressed, pulling out a cold compress, wrapping it in a wet cloth, and using it to cool off Miko's flushed face.

Jack who was feeling rather shaken, waved Arcee over to him, as he walked over to the far end of the base, "What's the matter partner?", Arcee whispered.

"It's about Miko… what's going to happen to her, since Bulkhead can't be her guardian anymore?", Jack asked.

"I can't definitely answer that question Jack. My best guess is that Optimus will give one of us double duty, and I know that it ain't me.", Arcee replied.

"But what about the Decepticons? Team Prime is down one member, and how do you expect to beat them, if they outnumber us like 50 to 1?", Jack questioned, his dark brown eyes pleading for answers.

Arcee's blue and pink optics began to swell, looking over to the side, Jack knew that she too had her doubts. The Decepticons had a warship, superior technology, and a small armada big enough to pose as a major threat, the Autobots however were small, and broken. This past year they already lost 2 members, they were close friends, and most of all they were family, now they are barely a team. Nonetheless, sulking won't end this conflict, also it wouldn't do any good if they gave up, and Arcee will make sure they don't.

"The odds may be in their favor, but if there's a will, there's a way.", Arcee exclaimed, with pride in her voice, "And don't forget that Jack.", Arcee made known, causing Jack to smile.

Walking back towards the others, the green monitor screen began to flash with seemed to be a encrypted message. Ratchet who was already near the console, walked over to it, and began to analyze the unexpected surprise.

"Ratchet, what does this message transcribe?", Optimus asked, looking up at the display screen.

"It's four sets of coordinates… sent to us by a Decepticon private server...could they be…", Ratchet paused, noticing that the coordinates are random locations on Earth.

"They are the decoded locations of four Iacon relics, located here on Earth.", Optimus announced, making everyone in the base look up at the screens.

"Optimus there is also an audio file, embedded in the message.", Ratchet pointed out, resulting in Optimus nodding at the old doctor, giving him the notion to play the message.

The message started off with a lot of feedback, but after a few adjustments the audio message began.

 _[Greetings Autobots, I know this may be an unexpected surprise, but we desire your assistance in taking down the Decepticons. My name is Knightwave, me and my compeer Tap-Out wish to aid you in stopping Megatron. We hope that these coordinates give you an edge in weaponry, please make haste in gathering the relics, for we are unable to keep these locations secret for long. Thanks for fighting for what's right.]_

"Could be a trick.", Arcee announced.

"No this isn't a trick, that mech mentioned Tap-Out, and of she's involved there is no doubt in my mind, that she's behind this. She was excellent at decrypting codes, back during the war she saved my aft when we were locked in a secure vault, and by secure I mean if you get one code wrong, you're deactivated.", Ratchet stated, remembering Tap-Out, and all the adventures they've been on.

*Bweiiii zoooo dididididoeeeedoooii? Bweeezzzz liiiizzziiooooo dedeioioilooo.*, Bumblebee buzzed, catching Raf's attention.

"Our young scout has a point, old friend.", Optimus agreed, staring at the shocked doctor.

Jack walked up next to Raf, staring at Ratchet whose faceplate held a saddened look, even his blue optics were that of sorrow, "What did Bee say, Raf?", Jack whispered.

"He said that Tap-Out is gone, she died during a battle, and that there is no way she can be online.", Raf whispered back in response.

Ratchet took a deep vent, turned around, and faced Optimus, "You're right… but you forgot something very important.", Ratchet implied, turning back around towards the console, "This mech who calls himself Knightwave, I've found a his file while looking through the Harbinger's database.", Ratchet informed, typing in something.

"Knightwave was apart of the Decepticon Royal Flyers, who was deactivated long before many of the major conflicts.", the old doctor informed, typing on the console.

"Explain?", Optimus asked.

"During a storm on a Decepticon outpost, I was apart of the group who took them out.", Ratchet exposed, "And thanks to the database Starscream provided, I am certain that Knightwave was in fact deactivated, prior to the squad's demise.", Ratchet informed.

"So that's what you were up to last night? Analyzing the files in the database?", Arcee asked.

"There isn't much to do around here, and reading up on top secret Decepticon files, sounded interesting.", Ratchet responded, pulling up an the purple seeker's file, and comparing to to the other flyers.

Knightwave's file, compared to the other Royals, held little to no information regarding his work history, nor did it yield any information about who he was. The file only had his name, rank and status, nothing more.

"That's odd, normally Decepticons are keen on having up to date files, regarding their pawns.", Arcee mentioned.

"Exactly! This file was clearly tampered with, it's as if the Decepticons are trying to hide something.", Ratchet acknowledged.

*bweeeiiii dididiodoedededede zviiissssidididoio?", Bumblebee buzzed.

"Maybe to appease those who knew him, because trying to erase a bot from existence, isn't as easy as it sounds.", Ratchet explained briefly, to the young scout.

"What do you make of this Optimus?", Arcee asked the prime.

Optimus looked at the file and back at his team members, if what Ratchet says is true then, there is something bigger is happening, something that cannot be denied. Nonetheless, this clears the air regarding the coordinates to the relics, making them seem more legitimate, than a trickery. However, Optimus trusted his friend, and if Ratchet believes that these coordinates are real, then they should investigate immediately.

"Ratchet,", the Prime paused, "Fire up the ground bridge to the first set of coordinates, and Autobots prepare to roll out!", Optimus announced.

"Thank you Optimus.", Ratchet thanked.

"We're a team, and we work as a team, thus we mustn't doubt each other. I believe in you, old friend, and for that we will go by your judgment.", Optimus implied, giving a small smile.

Arcee wasn't at all surprise by the outcome, Ratchet and Optimus have been working together for eons, and their friendship holds a strong bond. However something was gnawing on her mind, the fact that this Knightwave and Tap-Out were both presumed dead, and now they're using Iacon coordinates from the offline bots. Either this is an elaborate trick, devised by the 'Cons, or it was really real. Nonetheless, Arcee had to follow the orders given to her, and she was ready to find out the outcome, good or bad.

After a good 5 minutes, Arcee walked over towards Ratchet, who was having a brief talk with Optimus, before he walked over towards the display screen, "Hey Ratchet, where to?", the blue femme asked.

"I've been thinking, maybe we should team up in groups of two, Rafael can be left in charge of the groundbridge, while you and Bumblebee go to New York, along with Optimus and I go to Antarctica.", Ratchet implied, Raf giving a sleepy thumbs up, before placing his head down on the computer table, and dozing off.

"That sounds like a stable plan, if Raf is done with his nap,", Arcee smiled at the sleeping kid, "Was that you were talking about to Optimus?", Arcee asked.

"Indeed, we'll depart after you and Bumblebee go about your mission.", Ratchet respond.

"Alright, no wasting time right? Come on Bee, lets go.", Arcee waved, walking towards the Groundbridge.

Optimus walked over towards the yellow mech, and blue femme, "Make sure to be discreet, the location of the relic is difficult, due to it being underground,in a densely populated area.", the Prime advised.

"We'll make sure not to cause a scene.", Arcee stated, before Jack running up to the blue femme.

"Arcee this is New York, you're being bridged to. At least let me tag along, I could help you with discovering the relic." Jack remarked, even though he has never been to a large city before.

"I don't know Jack…" Arcee looked at Optimus.

"There are networks of subway tunnels below the city, not to mention that New York has more than 8 million people. The odds of being spotted by at least one of them are pretty high, even if headed underground.", Jack informed.

"Where are you going with this?", Arcee asked.

"You're gonna need a face man, someone who can speak on your behalf, a human who can run interference if your cover gets blown.", Jack implied, while Agent Fowler and June walked over towards the young teen.

"Jackson Darby, what on Earth do you think you're doing?", June demanded, putting her hands on her hips.

"Mom! I was just asking Arcee if I could go with her and Bee to New York.", Jack exclaimed.

"I don't think so, young man, what makes you think you know you're way around a big city, like that? We've never even been outside of Jasper.", his mom pointed out.

"But I've been to Cybertron…", Jack mentioned, only to be shot down by Agent Fowler.

"She right son, big cities isn't quite your forte, and Cybertron is a whole other story.", Agent Fowler added.

"Aw come on guys I just wanted to help.", Jack sighed.

"You can help, by helping us watch over Miko.", June remarked.

"Besides the there's only a few things you two need to know,", Fowler announced, walking over towards Arcee and Bumblebee, "One: watch out of the third rail, or you'll be toast, and Two: look for construction sites as an entry.", Fowler directed, as Arcee and Bumblebee nodded their helms.

"Good now that we have this settled,you two can depart on your mission.", Ratchet stated, rather impatient.

The duo of Autobots both transformed, into their respected alt modes, as the ground bridge opened. Arcee activated her holoform image and turned its head towards Jack, "Sorry Jack, maybe next time.", the blue motorcycle apologized, before driving off into the portal, followed by Bumblebee.

Jack stared upset as the portal closed, only to turn around to see Miko standing up with her arms crossed.

"Good work Mr.'I never left Jasper, Nevada'.", Miko teased.

* * *

 _ **{Meanwhile- The Harbinger}**_

Starscream had recently returned from an energon mine, with a few cubes in hand. Thankfully the Harbinger's network was still linked to that of the Nemesis, giving him full access to their database. However, Starscream had another database that he was waiting to look into, after his visit with the Autobots, he made sure that he'll have surveillance on both sides. The device he gave them was a two way port, thus plugging it into any computer, instantly connected him to their a neutral had so many perks, it made the silver seeker shudder with glee, he has the advantage for once. Looking at the database, he found something very interesting, something that made an evil smile appear across his faceplate.

"So the Autobots are in possession of the coordinates to four Iacon relics, might as well try and beat them to them.", Starscream exclaimed, to himself.

Grabbing a ground bridge remote, he punched in one of the coordinates, and prepared himself for what awaits. Flying through the portal, Starscream noticed that the area was that of a desert, there were no humans around, so he transformed back into his mech mode, and started following the coordinates.

"If these coordinates are correct, then the relic should be... ah! There.", the silver seeker smiled, transforming to his jet alt mode, and flying over to an arched cliff side.

Transforming midair, and landing on his struts, the silver seeker walked up to the location of the unknown relic. Looking down Starscream figured that over the course of time, the relic was covered up by dust and sand, becoming buried under the surface. Smiling devilishly, the seeker took a few steps back, transforming his right arm into a blaster, and shot the ground.

"Well, well, well what do we have here?", Starscream chuckled, peering down at the small crater he made.

Reaching into the small crater, the silver seeker pulled out a strange looking device, it's overall shape and design appeared to be that of Decepticon engineering. Giving a maniacal laugh, Starscream already had a hunch, just by pure observation, what this relic was. Grinning, the neutral seeker placed the device on his left arm, and just as he predicted it latched itself onto his forearm, and emitted a low buzz, indicating that it was still operational.

"The Resonance Blaster.", the seeker sneered, "What kind of unthinkable chaos, could I possibly cause with this?!, he asked himself, while sending off a wave of sound, that destroyed a mountain side.

Laughing even louder, "With this kind of power, all of these relics are as good as mine!", Starscream exclaimed, pulling out his groundbridge remote, and looking at the next set of coordinates.

However, just before he could open up a bridge, the seeker put away the remote, "What's the use of using a bridge, when you have wings like these?", he remarked, feeling a bit proud that he has the ability to fly again.

Then, the silver seeker ran and jumped off the arched cliff, but before he could touch the ground, he swiftly transformed, and took to the skies, his next destination Antarctica.

* * *

 _ **{Meanwhile- The Nemesis}**_

The bridge was buzzing with activity, Megatron's extension to the off hours increased productivity, and Soundwave was doing his best to decrypt Iacon codes. The gunmetal leader, stared off into the distance, his red optics not focusing on anything in particular, he was just lost in thought.

"You rang, my liege?", Knock-Out chimed, waltzing into the room, as soon as the door opened, Dreadwing and Tap-Out following behind.

"Ah yes Knock-Out, I was given word of you sister's recovery, Tap-Out I presume?", Megatron remarked, looking at the red femme with a raised optic ridge.

"Let me guess, Dreadwing told you?", the red mech scoffed, looking up at the blue seeker.

"He is my second in command, unless you forgot your place aboard this ship.", Megatron sneered.

Deadpanning at Dreadwing, who approached the two mechs, Knock-Out looked up at the golden stern face of the SIC, mumbling a few curses to himself.

"Well?", Megatron scowled, glaring at the red doctor.

"No my liege, I haven't forgot my place aboard this ship, I am the only one with medical knowledge present.", Knock-Out grumbled, feeling rather annoyed.

"As it so happens, you aren't the only one with medical knowledge aboard this ship, for your sister is now among our ranks.", Megatron pointed towards Tap-Out, who then approached the leader of the Decepticons.

 _{This is the part, where you kneel.}_ , Knightwave instructed.

Getting down on one knee, Tap-Out kneeled before the gunmetal warlord, gaining an evil grin from him in response, "How interesting, as I last recall, you were an Autobot. Now you kneel before me as a Decepticon.", Megatron proclaimed, looking down at the red femme.

Knock-Out rolling his optics, looked over to the side, with a small pout on his faceplate. Megatron noticing Knock-Out's particular behavior, gave another grin, sibling rivalry was something he knew all too well, not that he had a sibling himself. Nonetheless, he bared witness to only one rivalry before, and he had to admit, it ended on a high note.

"Raise up Tap-Out, and tell me your strengths, and how you'll use them to aid in the Decepticon cause.", Megatron exclaimed.

Standing up on her pedes, Tap-Out had some mixed feeling about her plan, there were many ways that it could backfire, but there were also many ways it could work. Knightwave had faith in her, and she could feel that he too had his doubts, but she also could feel that he was hopeful. All she had to do now was stand tall, and take the bull by the horns.

"Actually Lord Megatron, I've got a proposition for you.", Tap-Out began, causing every bot in the room to stop working, even Megatron stopped in his tracks, "I am not too keen on joining you're side, but I need your resources to aid me and my friend, with our project, that I know you are familiar with, but we need to make sure that-", Suddenly Tap-Out transformed into that of Knightwave.

"You let us both live freely aboard this vessel, and I'll give you the coordinates to four Iacon relics, and you better act fast, for those blasted Autobots should already be looking for them, as we speak.", the purple triple changer smirked, black visor gazing at Megatron.

"So you're Rigor Mortis? I've never meet you in face to face.", Megatron sneered, gazing into the void of Knightwave's visor.

"So what will it be?", Knightwave questioned, glaring into the burning red optics of Megatron.

"This however, will be the last time I will allow you to stand before me!", Megatron growled, "Soundwave.", he yelled, only to get no response from the silent mech.

Knightwave rotated his helm, looking behind his shoulder, he caught a glimpse of Soundwave, whose frame was frozen. Megatron glared at his most loyal comrade, his optics glowing a hot red at the still form of the communications chief.

"Looks like Soundwave broke a gasket. Oh well, I guess you won't be needing these coordinates.", he remarked, smirking under his visor.

"Dreadwing!", Megatron snapped, only to get no response from him either.

"Knock-Out!", Megatron yelled, but yet again no response.

It was as if the whole ship went still, no bot on that ship dared to move. That unsuspected surprise was something no one has ever seen before, two different Cybertronians in one, one mech, one femme.

"Who do you think you are!", Megatron threatened, aiming his cannon at purple mech.

"Knightwave.", he smirked, causing Megatron's Optics to widen.

* * *

 **End of Chapter Notes:** _So what did you guys think? Was it good? was it bad? Or was it just plain old interesting? Chapter 10... well it isn't as long as Ch7, but this chapter was just as interesting. This chapter took me a while to type, because of that pencil issue, in the original writing. I still can't believe that my notebook got a smeared! But no worries, there is nothing I can't deal with! I'll give it all my determination to type up all the other chapter, for your entertainment!_ **Thanks for reading** _, and I'll be posting the next chapter soon! So have an amazing summer,(if it's summer where you live), and please tell me what you think!_


	11. TFP: Sparkless Ch11: Cursed

**Disclaimer** **:** _I do not own any of the Transformers characters in the TFP series, nor do I claim ownership of any_ _kind towards anything trademarked. This story is just for fun, and isn't connected towards the true lore behind the franchise. The only things I own are the OCs._

 _ **An Update** **note:** So I decided not to keep you guys waiting, so I'm gonna post this one, since Ch12-15 will take me a while to type... yeah Ch11 wasn't badly smudged, so I was able to type this and edit it, in one afternoon. So I hope the other four chapters aren't as bad, but up until a certain point I did start using a pen instead of a pencil to write up the whole story. Well here you go Ch11, and many more to come! Tell me what you think!_

* * *

 **Chapter 11: Cursed**

Megatron's optics widened, that name sounded so familiar, but why? It was as if he once knew a mech with that name, but he couldn't remember. Shaking his helm, the gunmetal warlord snapped himself out of his thoughts, and scowled at the purple seeker.

"I don't know why I feel as if I know you, but you've made a grave mistake, however I cannot deny your offer. Listen closely, I'll be watching you, and don't think for a nano-klik, you won't be monitored.", Megatron sneered, "And since you'll be monitored, I want to know every last detail about your little project, and how you and Knock-Out's sibling became… whatever you are, do you understand?", Megatron commanded, glaring hate at the triple changer.

With a slight bow, "Of course Lord Megatron, I was once a Decepticon myself, I understand you clearly.", Knightwave spoke smoothly, his calm sly voice, rang through the Decepticon warlord's processors.

Knock-Out stood unmoving, gazing at the sight with pure surprise, for his sister's plan actually worked, one way or another. While Dreadwing optics shook at what just transpired, the blue seeker figured that the red femme, and the purple seeker, were that of the same form, but he never thought they could swap appearances in just a swift transformation. This astonished him, on how two different beings could live within one frame, and share a joined processor.

"Now tell me 'Knightwave', who are you really?", Megatron questioned, squinting his red optics at the purple triple changer, "You can't be Rigor Mortis, I can tell that much is certain.", he grumbled.

"I'm surprised that you still haven't recognized me, well I guess that's what happens when you want to erase a mistake, or you wish to not believe that I survived… isn't that right brother?", Knightwave sneered, looking over at Soundwave.

Megatron looked over at his communications chief, optics widening as he noticed the similarities between the two mechs. There was no doubt that the mech, that stood between them, was the younger brother of Soundwave, the one that was deactivated all those eons ago.

"But how could this be?!", Megatron questioned, glaring at Soundwave, who looked just as bewildered, "I thought you deactivated him!", the gunmetal mech yelled.

The silent mech stood there... standing in a memorized shock...Long ago, Soundwave loved his younger brother, when his creators gave creation to the sparkling, he knew from that day on, they would be brothers forever. However, when the day came, when he was told to offline the only sibling he had… he was given no choice…

* * *

 _ **{Flashback}**_

It was a dark day over the skies of Kaon, thousands of neutral Cybertronians were pouring into the city, to join Megatron's command, for the upcoming war. However, the gladiator stadium, the city's center location, was more than just empty, there were barely even enough lights on, to illuminate the rust covered ground. In the center of the, rusted, dust covered stadium floor, was a purple seeker, his arms, wings, and ankles were bond by resistance cuffs, as he laid on his side. His armor looked as if it were completely stripped off his frame, he looked more like a simple drone, rather that of his former self.

The seeker blinked his dimmed red optics, scanning the area for anything; anything that could help him escape, but he knew that there was no such thing. The days prior, he was tortured, and beaten… all for what? All he wanted to do was help others, and this rising conflict would only result in the extinction of his race. Now he's facing the ultimate punishment for helping Autobots escape, a secure prison, and even though he knows where they went, he vowed that he wouldn't spill, he just couldn't.

In the distance, the sound of pedes thumped across, the rusted floor, as they approached the shackled seeker, "We'll give you one last chance, tell us where the Autobots went, or we'll be forced to extinguish your very spark.", a sneering voice commanded.

"You will try Megatron, but I won't. I was trained by the Royal Flyers to NEVER disclose anything, even if I must die, to keep it a secret.", the purple seeker spat.

"You're little less a Royal Flyer, than you were a doctor. You're nothing more than a traitor, and during these time of conflict, it's best to erase a mistake then let it live.", Megatron sneered, gazing down at the helpless form of Knightwave.

"So is that what I am, to you? A mistake!? I've heard better insults from a drunk minicon, than that!", Knightwave mocked.

"Well I hope your resilience is as weak, as your pitiful jokes.", the gunmetal mech growled.

"Well get it over with all ready, I don't have all solar cycle.", Knightwave hissed, readying himself for the inevitable.

Megatron began to laugh, his wicked laughter shook the very Colosseum, confusing the purple seeker, "Oh you don't know the least of it, for I'm not the one sent here to deactivate you.", the Leader of the Decepticons chimed, releasing Knightwave from his bonds, except for his wings.

Surprised, the purple seeker looked up, at the stone cold grin of Megatron. Something wasn't feeling right, if Megatron wasn't sent to deactivate him, then why are they in the pits? Knightwave didn't have any weapons, nor did he have any armor, Megaron has every opportunity to strike him down, where he lay, but all he was doing was standing there. The ex-royal got up onto his struts, grasping his chestplate, for his spark began to pound aggressively, and this only meant one thing. Turning around, in the opposite direction of Megatron, Knightwave's red optics laid sights onto that of a slender dark bluish purple, mech walking into view from the shadows.

"S-Soundwave?", Knightwave uttered, glaring at his older brother.

"I'm sorry…", was the only words he said in response.

Looking over towards Megatron, Knightwave glared at him with pleading optics, "Please don't make him do this! He's my brother! He can't! He can't be the one!", the purple seeker pleaded, only to be grabbed from behind, by one of Soundwave's tentacles, and tossed a few feet away.

"I'm sorry to inform you, but he wasn't given a choice.", Megatron grinned, "Do about your orders Soundwave, I'll be heading back to Dark Mount. The Autobots who escaped, will soon find out why they should have never messed with the Decepticons.", Megatron laughed, transforming into this jet alt mode, and soaring out of the Colosseum.

Knightwave stunned by Megatron's words, pushed himself off the ground, only to be forced back down, his faceplate being crushed by Soundwave's pede, "Brother! Stop! This is ridiculous!", he screamed, looking up at the blacked out visor.

"I was given no choice.", Soundwave's unique voice shuddered.

"There is always a choice, you told me that! Don't let Megatron control you!", the purple seeker pleaded.

"Megatron wasn't the one who ordered me to deactivate you… our creators did! They told me you were a traitor! And that traitors deserve no choice!", the dark purple mech scorned, kicking the defenseless seeker, hard enough for energon to be spilled.

No matter how much he pleaded, Soundwave continued to beat his younger sibling to the point of deactivation. Within his blacked out visor, his neon purple optics swelled with coolant, as he gazed down at the broken frame of his sibling. Gazing down at his energon covered servos, his very spark shook with an emptiness, as if he just deleted a part of himself… these overwhelming emotions poured out of him, with a violent yelled. Falling to his knees, Soundwave realized that he truly had become as Sparkless as a beast, and there was nothing he could do, to reverse what he has done.

His only brother, his only family member that truly loved him, was gone. Deactivated by his own servos, never to return… on that day, Soundwave felt as if feelings were meaningless, in war. Feelings were just a curse, for those who wish to be blinded by pain, loss, and regret. Glaring at what remained of his sibling, Soundwave knew that he couldn't continue living, with the constant thought of Knightwave in his processors.

Standing up tall, he did what he thought he could never do, he deleted his emotions completely, rendering him completely void of all sadness, completely void of anything. Looking back down at the broken remains, the last words Soundwave ever said to his brother was, [STATEMENT: GOODBYE].

Not even looking back, Soundwave walked off, and transformed into his stealth jet alt mode, and flew towards Dark Mount, ready to serve his master, Megatron.

* * *

 _ **{The Nemesis- current day}**_

Soundwave was at a standstill, his processor unable to grasp what he was looking at. The triple changer that stood before him, was his brother, the very mech he deactivated eons ago, and the source of his true pain. The dark purple-blue mech, stood taken aback by the fact that Knightwave was still online, without emotions Soundwave couldn't comprehend the recovery of his feelings. It was a if his own processors reactivated his deleted emotions, for they started to pour back into this drives, like a tsunami.

"What's wrong? Looks like you've seen a ghost?", Knightwave snickered.

Megatron snapping himself out of his thoughts, death glared the purple seeker, sneering at the thought of remembering who he was, "As far as I'm concerned you are, but that doesn't change anything.", the gunmetal mech growled, "You're aboard my vessel, and that means you do as I say, you may have been executed once for being a traitor, and don't think I forgot.", Megatron glared.

"Of course, however I still don't understand why you don't just offline me now? Who's going to stop you?", Knightwave implied.

"Oh and I wish I could've done it RIGHT the first time, but you're more valuable to me alive than dead. Knock-Out! Dreadwing!", Megatron ordered.

"Yes my liege!", Both Knock-Out and Dreadwing exclaimed in unison.

"Please escort Knightwave back to the Med bay, I'll have a private conversation with him later, and as for the Iacon coordinates.", Megatron glared at the blacked out visor.

"Right here.", Knightwave smirked, under his visor, as he pulled out a data card, and handed it over to Megatron, "If I were you, I'd act fast, knowing how fast acting the Autobots are.", he remarked.

With an audible growl, Megatron snagged the data card, and plugged it into the main computer, then right before his optics, the world map pinged all four Iacon locations, as promised. With a wave of his servo, Dreadwing walked over towards Knightwave, and walked him over towards the exit where Knock-Out stood.

* * *

The trio of mechs, walked down the corridor heading towards the med bay, when Knock-Out stopped, his optics blaring a hot red.

"What seems to be the issue?", Dreadwing asked.

"The issue is how YOU almost got my sister killed!", the red mech pointed an accused digit at Knightwave.

"Excuse me?", Knightwave asked calmly.

"You knew the risks, but yet you took them! If you didn't smooth talk your way through, you'd been dead the moment you revealed yourself!", Knock-Out yelled.

"He has a point, you're spontaneous action could've marked your end, for if I wasn't aware of your fusion, I would've taken action myself.", Dreadwing added.

"Duly noted, but the evident outcome was better than I predicted, even your sister predicted worse. Now, if you don't wish to continue to cause a scene, I suggest that we further this conversation in the privacy of the med bay, so I may get to work in the revival of your conjux.", the purple seeker concluded, before walking away.

Knock-Out sneered at the seeker, watching him as he walked away. Dreadwing looked down at the angered mech, this Knightwave seemed more professional than he appeared, being able to stay calm while being yelled at, his resilience must be beyond that of any normal Cybertronian.

"That blasted slag-sucking, son of a scrapheap.", Knock-Out growled, clenching his servos.

"His resilience is commendable, you should be thankful for that.", Dreadwing commented.

"For what exactly?!", the red mech sneered.

"He essentially saved your sister, while also putting himself at risk. That's a sacrifice they were both willing to pay, to make sure your conjux could live once again.", Dreadwing explained.

Knock-Out looked over to the side, Dreadwing was right, Knightwave did as he was instructed, and with better results. The purple seeker has proved himself, from the very beginning, that he has nothing against helping him revive Breakdown, and that he'll keep his end of the deal they made. With a sigh, Knock-Out knew that Knightwave was a Cybertronian with honor, and that he respects him, no matter how much he yells, and complains.

Knock-Out nodded at Dreadwing, and the two mechs walked towards the med bay. Once inside, they noticed that Knightwave had already started to reassemble the parts taken out of the blue wrecker, laying them down onto a lab table.

Looking up from his work, his visor met the red optics of Knock-Out, "Something you want to tell me?", He asked flatly.

"Ye-yeah… do you need any help?", the red mech shrugged, feeling kinda bad for doubting him.

"Actually, I need the location of the Harbinger, I require access to the ship's database, and the protoforms it has on board.", the purple seeker responded.

"Protoforms? You're not referring to the creation of clones? Are you?", Dreadwing asked.

"They could be used to clone a bot, why do you know of them?", Knightwave questioned.

"Actually, I think we have what you seek. Not too long ago Starscream tried to assassinate Lord Megatron, but as it seems he wasn't alone. He cloned himself, and the bodies of the clones are still aboard this very vessel.", the blue seeker informed.

"How convenient.", Knock-Out commented, "And let me guess, you want us to fetch them for you?", he added.

"Dreadwing would you mind? Knock-Out you may stay here and help me with your conjux's remains.", the purple seeker implied.

With a nod, the blue seeker walked out of the med bay, and headed towards the area of the ship, where the clone's deactivated frames were kept. Knock-Out watched as Dreadwing left, only to turn around to face his, obviously angry, sister.

"Told you my plan would work.", Tap-Out scoffed, crossing her arms.

"To be fair, it also failed.", Knock-Out scolded, he too crossing his arms, "The moment Megatron finds out that you gave the coordinates to the Autobots, will be the moment he realizes you also betrayed him.", he remarked.

"That's if they beat him to the relics, however we both thought this over, and I'm also in possession of another set of coordinates, that outshines the others. I'm going to leave it at that, since who knows, he could be watching.", Tap-Out smirked, looking over towards a random corner.

Knock-Out looked at his sister, confused he too looked over at the dark corner, tilting his helm, he noticed an eerie red light blinking. Realizing that it was a surveillance device, the red mech looked back at his sister, a sense of fear jolted through him.

"How long do you think he's been watching us?", he whispered.

"Long enough to know that he wasn't hallucinating, his brother is alive, and he's aboard the Nemesis.", Tap-Out squinted her violet optics.

"Do you think Megatron knows of your true intentions?", Knock-Out asked, in a hushed tone.

"No, Soundwave wouldn't dare. He may be emotionless, but he isn't sparkless.", Tap-Out whispered, looking back at her brother, "You know what? I've been itching for a drive, and as I last recall, I still owe you one.", Tap-Out chimed, causing her brother's red optics to light up.

"Really? Do you want to take that risk?", Knock-Out remarked.

"I know what risk is, and you seem to enjoy taking it as much as I do, except you kinda over exaggerate things too much. Knightwave wants something from the Harbinger, and that's where we're gonna drive to. Unless you want to help him dissect the clones, and ruin your stunning finish?", Tap-Out snickered.

 _{Ha good one, maybe this'll give you two some time to talk, and not argue all the blasted time. As for me, I'm gonna start looking through the Nemesis' database, maybe I might find something of interest.},_ Knightwave declared, going silent.

"A drive would be nice, but if Lord Megatron finds out…", Knock-Out trailed off.

"I think he'll be fine with it, am I right Soundwave?", the red femme grinned, looking back at the corner, only for the blinking light to vanish, "I think we're good."

"What about Dreadwing?", the red mech questioned.

"Knightwave handled that part already, he sent him a message.", she smiled.

"What did it say?", he asked, raising an optic ridge.

With a slight snicker, "Take as long as you'd like.", Tap-Out chuckled, opening up a groundbridge.

"So you learned how to use that ability? That's rather... interesting...", Knock-Out commented.

"What you jealous?", she laughed.

Knock-Out's faceplate started to glow, "No, how could I be?", he scoffed, walking into the portal, shaking her head in response, the red femme followed her brother through the bridge, chuckling to herself.

* * *

 _ **{Command Deck}**_

Soundwave's visor displayed the conversation to his master, who looked rather interested in the red femme. He has never seen anything like this before, nor did he expect their departure to the downed ship. The Harbinger seems to be the mentioned a lot recently, and even Airachnid held an interest. Nonetheless, Megatron wanted to know why this Knightwave has an interest in this ship, but the only way to find out is by investigating. However interesting that may be, Megatron had another interest, to find the Iacon relics.

"So they're planning on taking a 'drive' to the Harbinger, how interesting? I want you to follow them, and report back to me if you suspect anything out of the ordinary.", Megatron sneered, "I've got my own agenda to do here, those Iacon relics must be recovered.", Megatron glared at the coordinates displayed on the world map.

With a slight bow of his helm, Soundwave locked onto Knock-Out's life signal, and opened a groundbridge. The blueish-purple mech stopped halfway, as if something was clouding his processors, he could even feel his internal drives beginning to overheat. It has been eons since he's felt such overwhelming sensations, the pressure of these stirring feelings, made his frame quiver. He will not let his emotions return, he vowed that he'll never feel again, he'll never let pointless emotions control him.

Shaking his helm, the silent seeker walked through the portal, and walked out onto what seems to be a desert canyon. In the distance he could hear the distinct sounds of rumbling engines, the roaring motors vibrated every inch of the canyon. Soundwave, in one swift movement, transformed into his predator drone alt mode, and took to the skies.

* * *

 _ **{Meanwhile- Autobot base}**_

"Sorry Jack, maybe next time.", Arcee apologized, before driving off into the portal, followed by Bumblebee.

Jack expression looked upset, as the portal closed, only to turn around to see Miko standing up with her arms crossed, "Good work Mr.'I never left Jasper, Nevada'.", Miko teased.

"M-Miko! What are you doing! You're supposed to be resting!", Jack exclaimed, catching June's attention, and waking up Raf, who shot up from his seat.

"I'm sorry Miko, But Jack's right, please go lay back down.", June said calmly, walking the teenage girl back to the couch.

"I'm okay! Honest I am, I just ate some bad tuna!", Miko protested.

"No young lady, you're suffering from heat exhaustion, you need to drink water, and relax.", comforted, grabbing the cold compress, and putting it on the teen's forehead.

Ratchet looked over at the humans, glaring specifically at Miko, the old mech couldn't understand why she continues to protest. Human youth are a strange enigma, it's as if they don't have a single care in the world, and for creatures whose body is comprised of such squishy material, they should care.

After a while, Miko finally gave into June's treatment, and laid back down on the couch. The young teen didn't like it when an adult got the better of her, nor did she feel like laying down, all she wanted to do was find whoever deactivated Bulkhead. Once she finds them, she'll truly feel at ease when she rips out their spark, she'll do it one way or another.

Jack looked over at Raf, who was still a bit tired from all the depressing events, that happened this evening. However, he was feeling more awake, since Jack woke him up, now he can help the Autobots bridge to their location, and back to the base. Optimus who was reading the Harbinger's database, found something rather interesting, something that needs to be investigated.

"Ratchet, I believe that it is best that we, call back Arcee, Bumblebee is more than capable of handling this mission solo, we all are.", Optimus implied, looking over at the medic.

"Are you implying that we all go to each location solo? Are you sure the Decepticons won't pose as a threat? We are nearly diminished of our supply of energon, if anything were to happen-", Ratchet asked, trailing off, his voice yielding concern.

"I believe that we are more than capable of retrieving each relic without contest. If the Decepticons were advancing, Arcee and Bumblebee would've called.", the Prime remarked.

"You're right, but what's bugging me is when. When will Megatron send out his troops?", Ratchet mused, trying to figure out why the Nemesis hasn't left its orbit.

"That is something we cannot dwell on, either we act now, or we risk having to deal with the Decepticons.", the Prime exclaimed, walking up to the com-link, "Arcee, we're bridging you to another location.", Optimus announced.

"Why? Me and Bumblebee just got a lock on the relic.", Arcee responded.

"We believe that it in our best interests, that we each take a specific coordinate, and search for them solo.", Ratchet commented.

"Spreading out so the 'Cons won't beat us to them? Solid plan.", Arcee affirmed, "I'm ready for the bridge."

"Exit the tunnels, into a more open area, so I may get a better vantage point.", Ratchet informed.

After a few minutes, Arcee exited the subway tunnels, waiting for a groundbridge. With a nod from Optimus, Ratchet opened a bridge for Arcee, when she drove through, she was now on what seemed to be volcanic ground. Transforming into her bot mode, she went off in search for the relic.

Back at base, Ratchet opened up another groundbridge for Optimus, who requested his to be locked onto the Harbinger. Ratchet looked up at the Prime, confused on why he chose to be bridge there, other than that of the other two Iacon relics.

"Optimus, not to be questioning your judgement, but why have chose to be bridged to the Harbinger?", the old mech asked, "Has Starscream, pulled one of his tricks? Even after all that we've done for him?"

"This doesn't concern Starscream, but rather that of the database stored within the Harbinger. Most of the files on this data card are incomplete, and require further investigation. However, I'm not the one who's going to investigate, I believe you deserve that honor.", Optimus implied.

"Me? Don't you need me to go and find the relics?", Ratchet asked, baffled.

"Due to the circumstances, I have full faith that you are more capable, than I, at encrypted data, for I am still a bit rusty at decoding files.", Optimus admitted.

"I-I understand.", Ratchet nodded, pulling down the lever of the bridge.

Before walking through it, the old medic stopped, and looked over at Optimus. Long ago, he remembered when Optimus was amazing at decrypting codes, now that he's fought so much, no wonder he lost his skills as an archivist. Giving a small smile, at his old friend, Ratchet walked through the portal, and immured in a desert canyon, the sky indicating that night was approaching.

* * *

Back at base, Optimus activated the groundbridge, his destination Antarctica. Looking over at the humans, the Prime beckoned Agent Fowler over.

"Agent Fowler, I'm leaving you in charge, while I'm gone, make sure to monitor the coms, and report to me regarding any Decepticon activity. As for you Rafael, you are to remain in charge of the groundbridge, Bumblebee should be reporting back soon, once he obtains the relic, bridge him to his next location.", Optimus announced.

Both Agent Fowler and Raf nodded their heads, and with that the Prime nodded back in response, then walked into the groundbridge. The base was now absent of any Cybertronian, leaving the humans by themselves, to sit an wait for anything to happen. Miko who noticed that Jack was looking rather upset, grew a devilish smirk on her face.

"Hey Darby!", Miko called from the couch.

"Yeah?", Jack answered.

"Come over here!", Miko called.

With an eye roll, Jack walked over towards the teenage girl, her eyes yielding mocking intent.

"So, why didn't you seek out?", Miko snickered.

"Because unlike you, I don't want to be crushed.", Jack stated, only to get a little pout from his friend.

"Come on, you know that you wanted to go with Arcee to New York, and besides they're looking for those really cool doohickeys again. Who knows, maybe they could turn you into a ghost!", Miko exclaimed making ghost sounds.

"For someone who's supposed to be sick, you're not doing so bad.", June addressed, walking towards the teens with a wet towel.

"See! What did I say, I just ate some bad tuna, so please may I walk around? Sitting here is making me feel like a prisoner.", Miko complained.

"Alright fine, but if you start feeling anything, make sure to stop what you're doing, and lay back down.", Mrs. Darby accepted.

"Whoo hoo! Did you hear that Jack?! I'm free to- hey is that red dot supposed to be moving?", Miko asked, looking up at the screen.

"Uh, Agent Fowler….", Jack warned, pointing at the moving beacon, then unexpectedly small red dots popped up on screen.

"The Decepticons are mobilizing!", Raf announced, as he gazed at his laptop screen.

Agent Fowler, and the others rushed by Raf's side, to get a better look at what's going on. The Nemesis' tracking signal was moving, indicating that Megatron was headed towards another location, and the small red dots were life signals. Turning around towards another monitor, Agent Fowler pressed down on the com link transmitter.

"Fowler to Autobots, do you read! The Decepticons are in pursuit of the relics, this is not a drill! Megatron is on the move!"

"Did you just say that Megatron is mobilizing?", Arcee responded.

"Yes and they are already sending in ground troops.", Fowler informed.

*Bweeee zoiiii didididdedeooooo!*, Bumblebee buzzed.

"Bumblebee said that he's in possession of the relic, but he can hear high pitched buzzing sounds, coming from the entrance.", Raf translated.

"Well get him out of there.", Fowler ordered.

"I can't, his probably too far down in the tunnels, for the bridge to get an exact location, he'll need to find a way to the surface.", Raf explained, while trying to get a lock on his location.

The yellow scout crept behind a wall, looking around for any Decepticons, the relic wasn't too hard to find, but the thing was something the young mech had never seen before. It was a strange device that kinda looked like a human watch, but he didn't to risk it being something dangerous. Bumblebee crept slowly, as he tried to find another way out, but everything looked the same, the best thing he could do was follow the tracks, and hope they didn't lead to the 'Cons.

*Bweeee zizizizozozodididoooo bweeeziii doooo?*, Bumblebee buzzed.

"I don't know Bee, Optimus hasn't responded yet, the same with Ratchet. The only thing you can do, is find your way out.", Raf stated, "But if you give me some time, I could possibly find map, or maybe…", Raf paused, looking towards Miko and Jack, "Or maybe Jack can escort you out.",

*Bewww dididododo dweee?*, Bumblebee buzzed.

"Hold up, let me asked Jack's mom.", Raf excused himself, as he walked over to Mrs. Darby.

Jack stared at Raf, he doesn't know anything about subway tunnels, nor would his mother grant him permission to go. The teenager watched helplessly, as he Raf walked up to June and asked her about letting Jack go. Miko on the other hand, had a smug grin on her face, this would be her chance to actually get into the action, Bulkhead would have liked to see her fighting the 'Cons.

"Jack, would you come over here?", June called, standing next to Raf and Agent Fowler.

Expecting the worst, Jack walked over towards his mother, Miko following in back, acting as if she wasn't up to no good.

"Yeah mom?", Jack asked.

"Raf just asked me if it was alright for you to help out Bumblebee, and I think-", June paused, "I think it's for the best."

Jack started wide eyed at his mother's response, she was actually allowing him to to New York, and help escort Bumblebee out of the tunnels.

"Wow, I wasn't expecting this!", Jack smiled, his voice filled with glee.

"But-", June added, there is always a but, "But you have to follow Bill's instructions."

"Bill?", Jack asked, looking over at Agent Fowler.

"Son, this is a potentially dangerous mission, your job is to enter the subway and escort the scout back to the surface, so we could bridge both of you back here. It may sound easy enough, but the Decepticons are out there, looking for that relic thing, and by uncle Sam's deep pockets, they want it.", Agent Fowler informed.

"Understood.", Jack said formally, looking over at his mother, { _When did she start calling him Bill?}_ , he thought.

"Alright son, here are your bread crumbs, remember to retrace your steps so you too won't get lost.", Agent Fowler smiled, handing Jack a clipboard, with a few pieces of paper, a pen, and a com-link device.

Giving a nod, Jack walked up to the groundbridge, with a thumbs up Raf activated the portal, "I'll bring back Bumblebee, and the relic, don't you guys worry.", Jack stated, before vanishing into the bridge.

Once gone, the remaining humans hoped for the best, until June felt as if someone, other than Jack, was missing, "Where's Miko?!", June gasped, looking around for the mischievous teen.

"Scrap…", all three exclaimed in unison.

* * *

 **End of Chapter Notes:** _Awe man! This chapter was fast to type, but when I was typing it I really liked the flashback scene! Man my Highskool edgy self was good at making saddening scenes, and man I'm enjoying them, how about you? How do you think my story is going so far? Do you guys like all these plot twists and references to other TF shows? Or what do I need to improve? I like to read your feedback, they make my heart happy, and encourage my editing skills, that's why this chapter was released early!_ **Thank You for reading!**


	12. TFP: Sparkless Ch12: Regrets

**Disclaimer** **:** _I do not own any of the Transformers characters in the TFP series, nor do I claim ownership of any_ _kind towards anything trademarked. This story is just for fun, and isn't connected towards the true lore behind the franchise. The only things I own are the OCs._

 _ **An Update** _**note:** _Hello everybody! Ch12 is here and ready to be read! I don't have much to say except that, there are so many more chapters that I need to edit, but since this one was finished early I decided to post it! So please enjoy this chapter!_

* * *

 **Chapter 12: Regrets**

The dark hallways of the Harbinger, yielded a sense of eons of disrepair, the metal floor creaked with ever step, and the walls rattled with every pass. Even with the headlights on their chest plate, at their full luminosity, the two red siblings still couldn't see clearly, due to all the dust, floating in the still air.

"Ugh, I feel like I'm gonna need another polish after this!", Knock-Out complained, at his crystal finish becoming a bit clammy.

"Don't worry, Knightwave says that once we get back, he'll gladly polish your finish again, as a thanks for helping him retrieve the files.", Tap-Out grinned, looking at her brother.

"What about yours? It's been eons since I last saw you glow?", the red mech asked.

"I've been giving it some thought, and I'm thinking about going matte. Metallic flake kinda looks a bit too flashy, and it looks way better on you anyways.", the dark red femme complemented.

Knock-Out looked to the side, his white faceplate looking a bit red, as if he was feeling bashful. Ever since he was a sparkling, his finish had always been a fiery red, it's shine reflected tiny little sparkles, that made any bot that looked at him, relish in its beauty. His sister on the other hand, her finish was always one step higher, its dark red hue made her stand out in any crowd, for when the light from the sun hit her, in the right angle, the sheen made her glow. To come to think of it, anywhere the sun hit was the right angle, for her color sparkled against any surface, like this thing called a disco ball.

"Are you sure? Your finish was always so stunning?", Knock-Out remarked.

"I'm positive, I just don't want to be reminded of my past, nor do I wish to be recognized easily.", Tap-Out responded.

"Alright, if your at 100% with this decision, then may I at least put in a recommendation? I was a cosmetologist at one point, and I still am… when Megatron lets me.", the red mech offered, looking around, while following his sister.

"I'm all audios, you're the expert after all.", Tap-Out implied, stopping in front of an open part of a wall.

 _{This is odd? Normally this opening would be camouflaged as part of the wall, it's as if someone else has activated it. I advise you cut your conversation with Knock-Out, we have more pressing matters}._ , Knightwave advised.

"Hm, maybe you should try a matte metallic ruby red, with dark grey semi-gloss transparent decals- Oh or maybe-", Knock-Out chimed, only to be cut off by his sister.

"Knock! We can discuss this back on the warship, Knightwave just informed be about this room. He believes that someone else has been here, and left the door open.", Tap-Out exclaimed, stopping her brother before he continued talking, about paint jobs.

"Alright, so what's the plan?", Knock-Out asked, his red optics looking serious.

"We walk in, Knightwave says that if there is someone inside, might as well pay them a visit.", the red femme grinned.

"A house call?", Knock-Out grinned.

"Haven't done one in a while.", Tap-Out snickered, pulling out her hand saws.

"Right behind you sister.", Knock-Out gleamed, transforming his own servos into saws.

The old Autobot medic, walked around the perimeter for any sign of Starscream, this was the location he requested being bridged to, and location where Optimus and the others were put into stasis lock, by Airachnid. Now here he was, walking around the Harbinger, looking for a point of entry, and with no luck. With a sigh, Ratchet tried to com the base, but he only got static, as if there was a dampener nearby.

"Now what could be causing this interference?", Ratchet asked himself, looking around the area, "Must be the Harbinger, well might as well climb…", Ratchet sighed, not wanting to climb at all.

After a few minutes of climbing up the side of the cliff, Ratchet finally found an entry point, and dropped down onto the floor below. Even though this was just half of the ship, it was still massive, for most of the half was buried into the cliff side. The old medic walked the dusty halls, in search for a working terminal, or anything that he could use to download the ship's database.

Just then, he heard what sounded like hushed voices coming from down the hall. The voices didn't sound like Starscream, nor would the seeker have reason to be talking to anyone else. Hiding behind a corner, Ratchet peeped over and caught glimpse of two figures, both a particular shade of red, and both wielding dual saws.

"That isn't Starscream…", Ratchet whispered to himself, watching as the two bots vanish into a wall.

Being as quiet as he can, the old doctor, ran towards the other end of the hallway, in pursuit of the two red bots. However, without any knowledge, Ratchet was being watched from far behind, an eerie purple glow illuminated from the hallway he came from.

Knock-Out and his sister, put away their weapons, feeling a bit relieved that there was no one home. Knightwave guessed that someone must've been living here, or currently is taking refuge, due to all the blocks of energon, that appeared to be still full. Knock-Out had his suspicions, and he came to the conclusion that Starscream has been here, mainly because the place looked like his private quarters.

"Look at this slag pit!", the red doctor complained, "Things half-assedly thrown about, and energon stored in odd places. Primus, it even reeks of Starscream…. Ugh blasted seekers…"

 _{Hey…}_ , Knightwave grumbled, causing Tap-Out to snicker.

"Well at least he isn't home, or we'd possibly have to fight him, come on let's start downloading the database.", Tap-Out insisted.

Walking over towards a console, the once dark room light up, revealing the empty slots where the protoforms were once held.

"Interesting, I thought the power went out or something.", Knock-Out commented.

"The power goes into standby, when this console is put into sleep mode. The rest of the ship however, seems to be in a permanent state of deactivation, this room is the only working area aboard this vessel.", Tap-Out explained.

"Let me guess, Knightwave told you?", the red mech remarked.

"No, I just knew. Many Decepticon warships come with this type of protocol, similar to how you were able to recover me from the Immortal. It just ensures that the most important stuff survives, and these files are really classified.", the dark red femme informed, "So classified in fact, they require certain codes to recover. Luckily for us, Knightwave is in possession of these code, and is able to download them straight into this data card."

"So how much longer do we have to sit here?", Knock-Out scoffed, looking at his clammy finish.

"Done.", Tap-Out cheered, looking at her shocked brother, as she retracted two purple glowing data tentacles.

"Ugh…", the red mech pointed.

"Oh those, a courtesy of Knightwave, they helped with the data transfer.", Tap-Out smiled.

"Alright, but don't do that in front of me EVER again. I already have to deal with one creepy mech, I don't want to deal with another.", Knock-Out sighed.

"Whatever you say, let's get out of here, and maybe you can teach me how to… what was that move you did, that made you slide?", Tap-Out asked.

"Do you mean Drift? Sure, and maybe we could get you a vehicle mode! I know this amazing dealership-", the red mech stopped, his red optics gazing at the entryway.

"Whoever you are, show yourself!", Knock-Out blurred, Tap-Out looking at her brother with confusion.

Then, out from the corner, Ratchet revealed himself, his blue optics wide, as he looked over at the dark red femme.

"Ratchet?", Tap-Out shuddered, her violet optics glowing a soft hue.

"So it really was you… You are alive!", the old doctor gasped, feeling overwhelmed with joy.

"Ratchet, how did you know?", the red femme asked, feeling depressed for Ratchet was one of her closest friends.

"Arcee told me, she informed us that she saw you aboard the Immortal, being carried by Dreadwing,", Ratchet informed, "But why are you here? How are you here? I thought you died back on Cybertron?", the old doctor wept, obviously still feeling grief over her death.

"I'm sorry Ratchet, but it's hard to explain, you have to believe me… if I knew that I'd be back, I would've told you…", Tap-Out sighed, her spark aching for her friend.

"Hard to explain? Hard to explain! Tap-Out its been eons since I last saw, and now you're back… as a triple changer? And working for the Decepticons?!", Ratchet yelled, clearly confused.

"Ratchet I didn't mean to- I didn't mean to…", the red femme looked away, her violet optics dimming.

"You didn't mean to what?! Betray the Autobots, by faking your own death?! What is it!?", Ratchet snapped.

"I don't want to talk about it…", Tap-Out looked to the side, shame filling her spark.

"Why don't you want to talk about it? As far as I'm concerned you betrayed our friendship!", Ratchet bellowed.

"You don't know slag, you blasted burnout! Don't assume my sister's intentions!", Knock-Out defended, his red optics burning.

"Knock-Out please…", Tap-Out whispered.

"No sister, he needs to know his place!", Knock-Out shouted, "Listen Autobot, Tap-Out would never betray anyone, nor would she fake her own death! If you think for a nano-klik that she would, then you are no friend of hers!", Knock-Out exclaimed.

Shocked at Knock-Out's sudden change in his behavior, Ratchet took a step back, gazing into the red mech's fiery red optics. It was as if the old doctor, was standing in front of another bot, for this red mech that was confronting him, didn't even have Knock-Out's presence. Even his white faceplate was glowing, as if lava cracks were moving under its porcelain finish.

"What happened to you?", Ratchet uttered.

"Didn't my sister tell you, that she doesn't want to talk about it!?", Knock-Out sneered, grabbing his sister's servo, and started to walk out of the room.

"I'm- I'm not talking about her… What happened to you?", Ratchet repeated, watching as the siblings walk passed them.

With a slight growl, in response, Knock-Out brush passed Ratchet, still grasping onto his sister's servo, as they walked down the hallway. Looking back, Tap-Out's violet optics locked onto that of Ratchet's blue ones, she couldn't help but feel depressed. Her best friend now sees her as an enemy, he sees her as a Decepticon… he sees her as a traitor.

"Ratchet!", she called, catching his attention, "I'm sorry! I wish I could tell you everything, but I can't! It'll only break your spark! You have to believe me!", Tap-Out cried, while her brother started walking faster.

"I don't know what to believe in anymore…", Ratchet whispered to himself, vanishing into the room, helm held in solemn.

With swilled up optics, Tap-Out looked at her brothers faceplate, it looked so stern, so filled with hate. His optics were blaring a hot red, like a piece of metal pulled out of a forge, and his white faceplate was glowing in some areas, as if lava was flowing from the corners of his optics. Tap-Out gazed at her brother, he didn't look like himself, he wasn't acting like himself. All she could think about was, if this was the reason she couldn't feel his spark connection, if this was the reason she felt disconnected with him.

 _{You've got a point, your brother seems different...}_ , Knightwave commented.

"Knock! Slow down, you're pulling my arm too hard!", Tap-Out yelled, pulling her servo away from her brother.

"What is with you!?", Knock-Out sneered.

 _{Here we go again… can't both of you go a single solar cycle, without fighting all the blasted time, sheesh… you two make Megatron look like Primus…}_ , Knightwave complained.

"I'm not fighting with you, brother.", Tap-Out spoke calmly.

"Who says that we're fighting? It's Knightwave isn't it? Isn't it?!", the red mech snapped.

"Knock-Out calm down, there is no need to start another conflict!", Tap-Out reasoned.

"Grr, I'm not starting anything!", the red doctor crossed his arms.

"It sounds like you are, just calm down, take deep vents, nothing is going to happen.", the red femme reassured. Knock-Out closed his optics, and began to take deep vents, as his sister instructed, but nothing was working, his spark was still pounding with rage.

"Knock-Out what's wrong?", Tap-Out asked, worried about her brother.

"Nothing… nothing's wrong, I've got a lot on my processors…", he grumbled.

"Tell me what's wrong, I can't understand you if you don't tell me?", she persisted.

Looking away from his sister, "I've just been so angry… When you died, I felt your pain, I felt your fears, and I couldn't help but feel as if a part of me was deleted. The same with Breakdown… but that pain also reminded me of the worst feeling that I've ever felt… the day our creators drove me off, because I chose my side… I chose my blasted side! And I was rejected, by not just sire, and carrier… but also by you…", Knock-Out scowled.

"I know what I did back then was wrong, and I too felt a terrible ache in my spark, when you were forced to leave... Up until now, I wasn't aware that you still felt this way…. Honestly if I knew…", Tap-Out began, before she was cut off by her brother.

"If you knew? Tap-Out we share a spark bond, if anything you should know!", he pointed out.

"Actually… I don't feel it anymore…", Tap-Out's optics dimmed.

"What?", Knock-Out asked, surprised, looking back at his sister.

"I don't… it's as if our bond vanished… do you feel it missing too?", she asked.

"To come to think of it… in these past few solar cycles, I haven't been feeling anything either… I've just been so consumed by my thoughts… but my anger, that I didn't realize it until now.", the red mech realized.

 _{This could be the reason behind your brother's negative behavior, let me have a word with him, for I too had a spark bond with my brother, that vanished.},_ Knightwave's voice echoed, from within Tap-out's mind.

"Knock… Knightwave wants to have a word with you, it's regarding our spark bond.", Tap-Out sighed, looking a bit tired.

"Are you in need of a power down?", Knock-Out asked concerned.

"It has been 3 solar cycles since I was awoken…"Tap-Out admitted.

"Why didn't you rest while Knightwave was in control?", he asked.

"I was decoding the Iacon database, working on my plan, and reading up on Earth's history.", Tap-Out explained.

"You've always been such a workaholic.", Knock-Out grinned, "Knightwave, what do you want to tell me?", the red mech asked, giving Tap-Out the go ahead to give Knightwave control.

Then with one swift transformation, "I've come up with a hypothesis," the purple mech stated, walking down the corridor, the two siblings came from.

"Hey! Where do you think you're going?!", Knock-Out asked, running after Knightwave.

"Since Tap-Out isn't an issue anymore, we can have a conversation with the Autobot medic.", Knightwave stated, dryly.

"You want to talk to that Autobot? What does he know?", Knock-Out questioned, his voice holding a ting of irritation.

Knightwave gazed down at the red mech, the edges of his black visor glowing, an ominous neon crimson, "He has knowledge regarding synthetic energon, I wish to inquire him about his studies.", he stated.

"I've been studying that green goop too, what are you implying that I don't know anything about it?", Knock-Out asked.

"No, I just wish to converse with another, whose knowledge of the substance surpasses that the data stored within the Nemesis' logs.", Knightwave stated, before he walked passed the red mech.

"Why is this Synth-En any concern to you?", Knock-Out asked.

"... In its current state, it is very unstable, however if we find a way to further its formula, we could use it to improve the creation of artificial sparks. Thus enabling us to further the research Rigor Mortis and I worked on.", Knightwave explained.

"I see, but what do you really want to talk to me about?", Knock-out implied, "As far as I know, you like to keep your conversations private.", the red mech crossed his arms.

"We'll further this conversation back on the Nemesis.", the purple mech stated.

Grumbling, Knock-Out followed the purple triple changer, back towards the secret room. Stopping at the entrance, Knightwave stood frozen, as he gazed at Ratchet who was currently being confronted by Soundwave. The silent mech looked over at his brother, no emotion at all, not even a single flinch, all he did was gaze at the purple mech. Ratchet however, looked over at Knightwave, his blue optics gazing at the resemblance he has with the Communications Chief.

"Soundwave?", Knock-Out gasped.

"What are you doing here?", Knightwave asked, dryly.

Turning away from Ratchet, Soundwave extend his arm, and pointed a single digit at his brother. With a snicker, Knightwave wasn't even fazed by his brother's sinister silence, "You took a vow of silence didn't you? How loyal, but yet what do you hope to achieve? You're actions hardly speak louder, than your words. You'll always be a follower, never a leader.", he mocked, Soundwave's helm twitched at his brother's words, while he dropped his arm back to his side. His servos balling into fists, as he gazed at the two mechs.

"What are you doing?! Are you trying to get us both killed!?", Knock-Out implied.

"Soundwave wouldn't dare, if Megatron ordered him to offline us, we'd surely wouldn't be standing here. Besides he can't harm us, unless he wants to disappointing his master.", Knightwave grinned, under his visor.

Soundwave gazed at his brother, it's been eons since he last thought about him, and here he his. The silent mech stood emotionless, but yet he could feel something growing from within, as if his emotions wanted to come back. Nonetheless, Megatron ordered him to follow Knightwave, and Knock-Out, and report back if he saw them doing something suspicious, but yet they haven't done anything.

Ratchet watched, as the two seekers stood unmoving, both with blacked out visors, hiding their true emotions. Looking over at the purple seeker, Ratchet noticed that he was a triple changer, the same Tap-Out… { _They both share the same frame!}_ , Ratchet thought. However, a strange signal rang through his audios, similar to that of a com-link.

 _{Hey Doc, I see that you're here for the database, and I apologize for Soundwave's interference.}_ , the voice buzzed.

"Who is this?" Ratchet asked, his voice hushed.

 _{You're looking at him.},_ the voice replied.

"How are you doing this?", Ratchet asked.

 _{My visor comes equipped with a personal com-link.}_ , he informed.

"Standard issue for the Royal Flyers, so I'm assuming you must be Knighwave?", Ratchet implied.

 _{Did a little research haven't you?},_ the purple seeker asked.

"Ye-yes, and I know that you, and Tap-Out are working together, why are you helping us?", the old medic asked.

 _{Because Doctor, I'm actually on your side. Now you're probably wondering why, and if you really want to know, we'll have to continue this conversation another time.}_ , Knightwave implied, then suddenly a vortex opened up in far corner of the room, {Run}.

Ratchet immediately ran towards the mysterious groundbridge, while Knightwave transformed his servos into null rays, pretending to fire at the old doctor. Once the portal closed, Ratchet emerged in the middle of an abandoned military base, safe from any danger. However, back in the Harbinger, Knightwave gazed at Soundwave, whose helm was looking in the direction of the groundbridge.

"Is anyone gonna acknowledge that a groundbridge just opened up, and the Autobots medic escaped!", Knock-Out pointed out.

"Great, a blasted Autobot escaped, Megatron won't be pleased.", Knightwave spoke calmly, trying not to snicker.

Soundwave glared at his brother, clearly not pleased with what just happened. An Autobot escaped, and he doesn't have any proof that could indicate his brother's true intentions. Walking passed his brother, visor glaring at him as he passed, Soundwave walked out of the secret room, sending a transmission to his master.

"Someone isn't very happy.", Knock-Out chimed.

"Figures, anyway we should head back to the Nemesis, before this Starscream returns home.", Knightwave remarked, his visor lighting up with groundbridge coordinates.

With an evil grin, Knock-Out looked up at Knightwave, "Have you ever heard of a prank?", the red mech asked.

"A manner at which we intend to humiliate another?", the purple mech asked, only to get a sinister smiling nod, in return, "What's your plan?"

"This is gonna be juicy!", Knock-Out laughed.

* * *

 _ **{Antarctica}**_

The frigid air, whirled passed Optimus as he trekked towards his destination, at some point in his journey his com-link went off, but all he got was static. The Prime figured that due to the weather conditions, his com-link signal must've been malfunctioning. Nonetheless, he has a mission to complete, and he has to reach the relic's location before the Decepticons, have the chance to mobilize. Looking over an edge, Optimus gazed down upon what seemed to be an excavation site, for part of the icy cliff side was carved out, and little orange flags scattered the area. Zooming in with his optics, he spotted what seemed to be tire tracks, indicating human activity. Sliding down a steep hill, the Prime came to a stop in front of the carved out cliff side, inspecting the area.

"Dreadwing.", Optimus spoke.

Emerging from behind the Prime, a blue and gold seeker walked out from behind, a snow pile. Dreadwing's golden faceplate reflected an icy hue, as his optics, glowed a light red, "Greetings Prime, it has seems our fates have been intertwined again.", he greeted.

"I see that you are still taking orders, from Megatron.", the Prime responded.

"Indeed, and I despise every nano-klik of it, nonetheless that doesn't mean I have to follow every command.", the blue seeker grumbled.

Glaring at the SIC, Optimus slowly approached the seeker, "Why do you choose, to continue this path of disloyalty? It isn't like you to disobey Megatron's will.", the Prime pointed out.

"I constantly ask myself that question, but I cannot truly abandon my beliefs, nor can I truly rest peacefully knowing what Starscream has done.", Dreadwing sneered, just the mire thought of that traitor makes him outraged.

"Tell me, what has Starscream done, to make you betray the Decepticons?", Optimus asked.

"He defiled my brother's remains, by reanimating his offline frame! Now the undead form of my twin, roams mindlessly in another dimension!", the blue seeker yelled, his optics burning red.

The Prime gazed at the angered SIC, his own spark feeling the pain and confusion Dreadwing is going through. Optimus knew that Starscream has questionable intentions, but reviving the deactivated seemed a bit too extreme. However, did recall the time Jack, Miko, and Raf were trapped within the shadow zone, and hearing about how they were being pursued by a reanimated Skyquake.

"You seek vengeance?", Optimus asked.

"More than you know Prime, my spark yearns for Starscream's deactivation, but that blasted traitor is nowhere to be found!", Dreadwing growled, only to to hear the sound of a jet flying by, headed towards where the tire tracks lead to.

Squinting his solid red optics, Dreadwing sneered at the sight of the grey jet, as it flew by, "It seems that Primus, himself, is giving me my chance to end this internal conflict.", the blue seeker stated.

"Dreadwing, there are humans located at that facility, and I will not allow you to harm any of them.", Optimus remarked

With a sneer, "I'm giving you until I get there, to evacuate that facility, I do not care for collateral damage.", Dreadwing then transformed into his assault jet alt mode, and taking to the skies.

Optimus watches as the blue jet took off, vanishing in the heavy clouds above, transforming into his 18-wheeler alt mode, Optimus drive off, following the tracks, "Optimus to base, is Agent Fowler available?", the Prime asked, hoping to get a signal through.

"Prime, we've been trying to contact you for over an hour, the Decepticons have mobilized, and are causing too much of a ho ha.", Fowler responded.

"I am quiet aware of this, nonetheless I need a full evacuation of a research facility in the vicinity of my coordinates.", the Prime addressed.

"Let me make a call.", Fowler responded, while Optimus drove towards the research facility, hoping that an evacuation is already underway.

* * *

 _ **{Meanwhile- Arcee}**_

The dark blue femme, marched her way up the slope of the volcano, her location device pinging faster, as she approached the location of the relic. After receiving news that the Decepticons had mobilized, she knew that she was on a time crunch, she must beat the 'Cons to the relic. Looking off to the distance, Arcee caught glimpse of a capsule shaped, grinning she bolted towards the object. The relic was a bit closer than the coordinates provided, but the blue femme didn't mind, she just figured that over the eons, the lava flow moved the relic downhill.

"Base, I've got a lock on the relic.", Arcee com-linked.

"This is Fowler, any confirmation on what it is?", he asked.

"Let me take a look.", the blue femme stated, opening up the capsule, only for her blue and pink optics, to widen in fear, "We many have a problem.", she gasped.

"Arcee, what is the problem?", Raf asked.

"The relic… it's a cash of energon.", Arcee informed, sounding a bit uneasy.

"That's good right?", June's voice came through.

"No-no-no, not this kind.", Arcee uttered, "It's known as Tox-En, a very poisonous type of energon… it's so poisonous, in fact, it can snuff out our sparks!", the blue femme sneered.

"If it's really that bad, then the 'Cons wouldn't want it either, right?", Raf asked.

"No, they'll want it more.", Arcee responded, "Back during the war Megatron found a way to use it as a weapon, and I won't allow him to do that EVER again.", the blue femme announced, pulling the capsule out of the ground.

Then off in the distance, Arcee could hear the sounds of Insecticon wings, vastly approaching her location.

"Scrap!", Arcee exclaimed, making a run for the top of the volcano.

"What's wrong?", Agent Fowler asked.

"The Decepticons have found my location, they're here for the Tox-En.", Arcee exclaimed.

"Bridging you back to base.", Raf stated.

"No! Don't, we can't risk exposure, even putting it into in a secure location can be deadly. I have to dispose of it, right here, right now.", Arcee announced, running up the side of the volcano, heading towards the top.

"Wait are you carrying it?", June asked.

"Yeah, but it's in its container, exposure shouldn't be too harsh.", Arcee grunted.

"Isn't it heavy?", Raf asked,

"Heavier than a Lob, but if I pace myself, I should reach the top of the volcano is no time.", Arcee remarked, running as fast as she can.

"What about the Decepticons?", Raf asked.

"Can't say for sure, they seem to be unaware of me, they must be trying to find the relic, by using the coordinates.", Arcee speculated.

"True, but what if they find out you're hauling aft, with the merchandise?", Fowler added.

"Let's just hope they don't find out.", the blue femme sighed, looking down at the group of Insecticons, that transformed and started searching.

* * *

 _ **{New York}**_

Once the portal closed, Jack noticed that he was bridged in the middle of a construction site, that was located in a very well hidden part of the busy city. Taking a quick look around, Jack plugged in the com-link, and set up his clipboard.

"Hey Jack, when are we gonna start!?", a familiar voice spoke up, causing Jack to jump.

Turning around, the teen laid sights on Miko, as she stood there, looking 'innocent'.

"Miko! You were supposed to stay back at base!", Jack exclaimed, face palming.

"What and miss my chance at helping out Team Prime? No way.", the teenage girl remarked, walking passed Jack.

"Grr Miko, just stop. I'm contacting Agent Fowler, and you're going back.", Jack said, irritated.

"What if I don't want to got back? Have you ever thought about what I want?", Miko asked.

Crossing his arms, "What you want, is to cause more trouble.", Jack scoffed.

"No, I want to avenge Bulkhead, by doing more to help out Team Prime.", Miko stomped.

"But-", he began, before getting cut off.

"But nothing, what if Arcee was the one who died? I bet you'd be doing the same thing, I am.", Miko pointed out, catching Jack's attention.

With a sigh, Jack looked into Miko's confident eyes, he could sense that her heart was in the right place, and all she wanted to do was help. With a slow nod, Jack walked towards the subway tunnel, waving for Miko to follow. With a happy jump, the teenage girl, followed Jack's lead, as he sketched out the path they walked.

In the midst of their mission, Jack finally received a call from base, and he knew that is was concerning Miko, "Uh Jack, I hate to tell you this but-", Raf began, before being cut off.

"-but Miko pulled a Miko… yeah I know.", Jack rolled his eyes.

"Are you really okay with having her there?", Junes's voice asked.

With a sigh, the young teen shrugged, "I'm positive, she needed the fresh air anyways."

"You're in a subway, underground, in New York, how fresh could the air be?", Raf sounded sarcastic.

"He has a point Jack.", his mother commented.

"Yeah yeah, you know what I mean.", Jack sighed.

"Alright Jack, we'll go by your word, but make sure you keep Miko out of trouble.", informed.

"Thanks, I'll try to keep that in mind mom.", Jack chuckled.

"Your welcome… oh we're getting a call from Ratchet, gotta go!", his mom announced before going silent.

Once the com-link was disconnected, Jack began to check through his work, inspecting his "bread crumbs", for a quick escape. Then, Miko came running towards him, for she decided to move ahead, while Jack stood analyzing his work.

"Jack!", Miko panted, "Down that way, there is a split, and from one of the tunnels, I heard these strange noises.", she continued to pant.

"Miko! You shouldn't be running ahead, we have to stick together.", Jack remarked.

"I know, but I got so bored watching you standing there, so I decided to scout ahead.", Miko spoke, sounding out of breath.

"I know that you have good intentions, but you just suffered from heat exhaustion, you shouldn't even be running in the first place, or be here at all.", the teen implied.

Standing upright, Miko glared into Jack's eyes, her determination clearly showing, "Jack I am not leaving, I'm gonna make Bulkhead proud, and I'm gonna do my part in ending the war, that took his life.", Miko stood her ground, "You can tell me to rest, but I will never rest, not until I avenge Bulk. So until I'm given the chance, I'll work my hardest to prove myself... to prove myself worthy of being an Autobot."

"The thing is... you're already an Autobot, and you can't prove your worth by hurting yourself. Look, you're out of breath, and you look as if you did eat bad tuna.", Jack pointed out, "Get some rest, I'm gonna try and contact Bee, hopefully these tunnels don't cause any interference."

"For the last time, I'm fine. No need to worry-", Miko began, but Jack didn't pay attention.

While Miko was talking, Jack noticed what seemed to be a 'V' shaped glowing red stripe, looming in the shadows. Then, 3 more glowing red 'V's showed up, as they slowly approached the humans.

"Hey! Are you even listening to me?", Miko asked, only for Jack to drop his clipboard, and point at something behind the teenage girl.

Turning around slowly, Miko discovered that due to their loud conversation, the two teens have attracted some unwanted attention. Standing before them, were four strange metal creatures, they looked as if they were insects, Cybertronian insects. Recalling his visit to Cybertron, Jack remembered seeing one of these things, while he was downloading Optimus' memories, in Vector Sigma.

Backing up slowly, Jack uttered, "Insecticons!"

* * *

 **End of Chapter Notes:** _I know that my story is a bit slow, but it goes with the original plot of TFP, except with a few changes. I hope that these changes are okay with you guys, and don't worry too much about the pace, for after these next chapters, I assure you that it'll go by much faster. I am currently editing the next chapter, so expect it to be up sometime during the weekend, or the middle of next week, or maybe earlier. Also to note, I do edit some of the other chapters, if I notice minor grammar errors, so don't be surprise if you notice that some chapters have a little bit extra content. Huehuehuehue. Other than that,_ **Thank you for reading** _, and have an amazing summer... and if it isn't summer where you live... uh... well... have a nice whatever season!_


	13. TFP: Sparkless Ch13: Retribution

**Disclaimer** **:** _I do not own any of the Transformers characters in the TFP series, nor do I claim ownership of any_ _kind towards anything trademarked. This story is just for fun, and isn't connected towards the true lore behind the franchise. The only things I own are the OCs._

 _ **An Update** _**note:** After a long time of editing, and listening to the TFP soundtrack, I bring to you, Chapter 13. This one has to be one of my favorite chapters, but there are still many more to come! I hope you guys enjoy this fanfic, cuz I wouldn't be typing this if it weren't for you, the reader. My Creative Writing teacher says that I should always thank the reader, and I do that at the end of every chapter, but this time I'm gonna do it in the beginning, **Thank You for Reading!** So please enjoy Chapter 13!

* * *

 **Chapter 13: Retribution**

Bumblebee hide inside a cut out in the wall, it was a pretty decent size, and it yielded great cover. Looking at the relic, Bee wondered if it was a non lethal device, but the only way to find out, was by testing it. Closing his optics, the yellow scout tapped the top of the relic, for a moment nothing happened, but that all changed when he felt something. Opening one optic, Bumblebee noticed that the device had attached itself to his wrist, glowing a light blue.

Cocking his helm, he lightly tapped at device, questioning what its functionality was. With a sigh, the young scout attempted to lean against the wall, only for him to fall straight through. Shocked and surprised, Bumblebee phased back through the wall, making a confused buzzing sound. Tapping the ground with his pedes, he realized that the device is very stable, yet if he wanted to he could phase through the floor he could. Making a delighted buzz, Bee ran into the wall in front of him, now he doesn't have to worry about being spotted by the 'Cons.

While phasing through the walls, Bumblebee reached a familiar intersection, remembering it when he and Arcee entered. However, before he was able to walk out of the exit, and contact base, he got a call.

"Bumblebee, we have been trying to contact you for some time,", Ratchet's voice exclaimed, "A while ago Agent Fowler sent in Jack to retrieve you… and also Miko, but we lost contact with them, are they with you?"

Bumblebee paused, looking back towards the subway tunnels, when his audios caught the echoes of Insecticons. Creeping towards the sounds, he caught glimpse of Jack and Miko, standing in front of a group of Insecticons.

*Bweeeee zoiiiiiii didididooooooo!* he buzzed.

"The kids are being attacked by Insecticons?!", Ratchet exclaimed, "The rescuers just became the victims… Bumblebee you'll need to help them."

*Ziiiiidodoioioioio bweeeeezooo!*, he buzzed, sounding angry, then the yellow scout phased through the floor, undetected by the Insecticons.

Jack and Miko looked up at the Insecticons, as they walked closer to the young teens. No matter how much the teens backed away, the 'Cons got closer, and without his clipboard, Jack has no idea which route to take.

"This is bad, real bad!", Jack shuddered.

"No duh Jack, we're about to become bug chow!", Miko exclaimed.

"Miko this isn't time for that! We need to find a way to escape!", Jack yelled, is tone full of fear.

Looking around for anything, like a rail cart, or anything they could use as a means of escape, but the tunnel they were in was empty. Sweating bullets, Jack looked over at Miko, who also looked as if she was stressing out, and who wouldn't be scared? Suddenly, one of the Insecticons was pulled into the floor, the only thing still visible was a twitching arm, fused to the concret. Responding to their fellow comrade, the other three 'Cons, started looking around, giving the teens a chance to run away.

Then, right before Jack and Miko's eyes, a yellow muscle car came jumping through the floor, skidding to a stop in front of them.

*Bweeeee didididodododod bewww beww zoooiii!*, the yellow car buzzed, opening Driver and backseat doors.

"Bumblebee!? How did you do that!?", Jack questioned, running towards the Driver's seat.

"Yeah dude! That was awesome!", Miko remarked, climbing into the backseat.

Without a response, the yellow scout closed the doors, and drove off, only to be pursued by the Insecticons.

"Bee, I know the way out, but those Insecticons are blocking our exit.", Jack pointed at the trio of 'Cons.

"How do you know that? The 'Cons ate your 'Bread crumbs'.", Miko asked.

"The 'Cons wouldn't be there if that wasn't the exit.", the teen remarked, "I'm gonna give base a call, and tell them we need an immediate evac."

"Yeah you do that.", Miko rolled her eyes.

"Jack to base, are you there? Hello?", Jack called, only to notice that his com-link's battery was out.

Squinting his eyes, he felt a wave of resentment towards Agent Fowler, which made him regret leaving his phone at base, to charge.

"Hey Bee, can you contact base? My com-link isn't working.", Jack laughed, sounding embarrassed.

*Bweee didioiooioioioo*, Bee buzzed, activating his com-link, while trying to out maneuver the 'Cons, only to come dangerously close to clipping a wall, but ultimately phased through it, making the teens jump.

"Did you just go ghost?! That's so rad!", Miko exclaimed.

"Bee! How did you do that!?" Jack asked, only for the com-link to come online.

"What did Bumblebee do?", Ratchet's voice came through.

*wooooooow bedededeididodioooi wooooeeeeee*, the yellow scout buzzed.

"You're in possession of the Phase Shifter, and are being pursued by Insecticons!?", the old bot gasped, "Are you nearling the exit?", he asked.

"Uh I think Bee took the wrong turn, because all I see are tunnels.", Jack informed.

"Yeah, and who knows where we're heading, or how deep we are.", Miko added.

With a sigh, Ratchet took a deep vent, "Alright, I will try to make adjustments to the ground bridge, for the meantime try and find an exit, and Bumblebee make sure that the humans stay out of danger.", the old mech stated, getting a low buzz from Bee in response.

Bumblebee maneuvered through the tunnels, everything looked the same, with no indication of an exit. Jack and Miko tried their best to look around, but everytime they told the young scout to slow down, the Insecticons were just around the corner.

With an angered sigh, "Who knows where we are now…", Jack complained.

"Yeah, if feels like we've been driving around in circles.", Miko mentioned, only to snap into a realization, "Wait, have we been driving around in circles? I swear we've passed that blocked off tunnel before/", Miko asked.

Bumblebee suddenly came to a stop, and reversed towards the blocked off tunnel, shining his headlights, the trio then noticed that it wasn't just a blocked off section, but a caved in part of the tunnel.

"The Insecticons must've done this, to block our exit.", Jack pointed out.

"So we've been near the surface the whole time?", Miko asked.

"Yeah, and we've been searching for it, not even aware that it was right here.", Jack sighed, "Bee could you contact base?", Jack asked.

Then at that moment, the horrible sound of an Insecticon screech, echoed through the tunnels, causing both Jack and Miko to flinch, "Looks like we're about to have company.", Jack implied, hearing the comlink go off.

"Jack, Miko are you there?", Raf's voice buzzed.

"Yeah Raf, we're here.", Jack responded.

"Have you found the way out?", Agent Fowler's voice, came through the com-link.

"Not exactly, the Decepticons have blocked our exit, and we can't find any other way out.", Jack informed.

"I see, I'll go tell Ratchet, while you continue to talk to Raf.", Agent Fowler stated, before leaving.

"Hey Raf, who's everything going?", Miko asked.

"Everything is going according to plan, Arcee is almost done with her mission, and Optimus seems to be handling things well.", Rafael explained.

"I sure hope so, because things seem to be going south.", Jack sighed.

*Bweeee doiiiioioiooooo woooooiiizooooeee.*, Bumblebee buzzed.

"What did he say?", Miko asked.

"He said for you guys to stop being so negative, and that we go this.", Raf explained.

"And I wish I shared your optimism.", Jack shrugged, then within that instance, a ground bridge portal opened up, leaving Jack agaped at the coincidence.

*Bweeee hehehe bweeee! Whooooziii dioioioioiodiiii woooo!*, Bumblebee buzzed.

"He told you Jack!", Miko laughed, only to pause, "What did he say?", she asked.

"He said, 'Told you so'.", Raf giggled.

Rolling his eyes, Jack looked over towards Miko, whose eyes were shaking at the sight of a group of Insecticons, "Bumblebee!", the teen pointed.

With a screech of his tires, the yellow muscle car drove into the ground bridge, leaving the Insecticons behind.

* * *

 **{Meanwhile- Antarctica}**

A lone research outpost rested in the middle of an open area, snow piled up on all the structures, and icicles hanged from corners of roofs. In the middle of the outpost was a grey hangar, within the hangar was a recently excavated chunk of ice, which had an unknown object inside. The outpost was left abandoned, by its occupants, due to a potentially dangerous snowstorm, that was approaching. However, that wasn't the real danger, that was headed towards the outpost, but rather that of Starscream, and a very angry Dreadwing.

The outpost was still for a while, until the sound of a screeching jet shook the very foundation, as the distinct sound of a transformation vibrated the air. The two large metal doors, that sealed away the relic within the hangar, suddenly slid open, making a metallic grinding sound.

"The humans were rather quick to leave, but lucky me, aren't you beautiful.", the silver seeker smirked, tapping the ice block with a pointed digit.

"I wonder what kind of abilities you'll give me?", he rang, chipping some of the ice off.

While chipping the ice off the relic, Starscream never noticed the looming shadow that appeared in front of the hangar's open doors, "Unfortunately for you, you'll never get the chance to find out.", a growling voice sneered, Starscream's red optics widen, slowly turning around he came face to face, with that of Dreadwing.

Gasping, the silver seeker took a defensive stance, his very frame shaking, "Skyquake? B-but you're-", he stuttered.

"You mistake me for my brother, who you dishonored, by raising him from the dead!", the blue seeker exclaimed, pulling out his cannon.

"Who are you, and how do you know about that?!", Starscream shreked.

However, Dreadwing never responded, instead he fired his cannon at the silver seeker, who dodged the attack. Realizing that there was no reasoning with this unknown mech, he had no choice but to fight back.

 _{What am I going to do!?}_ , he thought, only to notice that the shot, that was meant for him, ended up hitting the ice block, revealing the relic.

Grinning evilly, Starscream then knew, what he had to do, to survive. Sprinting towards the relic, the slender seeker, dodged a barrage of Dreadwings attacks, only to upset the SIC, who dropped his cannon, and pulled out his sword.

"I will not allow you to get away!", Dreadwing screamed, only to get hit with the resonance blaster, sending his hulking frame flying, into a pile of rebar.

"My, my aren't you the reckless type.", Starscream snickered, "Just like your brother.", he spat, pulling out the relic, and examining it.

"J-Just keep talking deiflier, you stand no chance against me!", Dreadwing grunted, using the sword as leverage.

Laughing at Dreadwing's confidence, "Oh really, and what gave you that idea?", the silver seeker implied, placing the relic close to his chest plate, which caused it to activate.

Dreadwing started at the silver seeker, with pure horror, for the relic he activated transformed around him, forming a massive suit of armor, "The Apex Armor…", he gasped.

"A perfect fit!", Starscream exclaimed, chuckling evilly, while gazing at Dreadwing.

Standing up on his pedes, "Do you honestly think, that wearing that armor will truly protect you, from my vengeance?!", the blue seeker yelled.

"And what do you intend to do about that?", Starscream smugly asked.

With a full on charge, Dreadwing bashed his hulking frame against the armored seeker, causing them both to be thrown out of the hangar, and into an open area. Starscream however, was unphased by the attack, and stood tall, as the Dreadwing tried to catch his bearing. Laughing at the dazed seeker, Starscream walked up to him, and kicked the blue seeker in the torso. With kick after kick, Starscream continued to pound Dreadwing into the ice.

"I haven't had this much fun, since I punched that hole into Cliffjumper!", the silver seeker laughed.

Dreadwing looked up, at the menacing face of Starscream, _{How is this possible? How could I let this happen?}_ , he thought, as a stream of energon leaked out, of the corner of his mouth.

"Allow me to reunite you , with your twin!", the silver seeker laughed, lifting his hulking fists into the air.

Suddenly, before Starscream could deactivate Dreadwing, Optimus swooped in, with a flying air kick, knocking the armored seeker over. Skidding a few feet away, the silver seeker aimed his sights towards the Prime, a clear sneer across across his faceplate.

"Starscream, stand down.", Optimus ordered.

"Optimus Prime.", the silver seeker growled, his red optics flaring, "How dare you intervene! That beast attacked me first, why aren't you helping me!?", he exclaimed.

"Dreadwing is an ally, and I will not allow you to deactivate him, so stand down.", the Prime informed.

"Grrr, and just when I started to think we were getting along.", Starscream growled, balling his armored servos into fists, "Oh well, just like you said, being a neutral isn't easy!", he remarked, activating the Resonance Blaster, which ended up fusing with the Apex Armor, creating an even deadlier weapon.

Aiming his new weapon at the two mechs, the silver seeker let out a kind of laughter, that could put Megatron's to shame, "Say goodbye!", he chuckled.

Optimus realizing that there was no reasoning with Starscream, hosted Dreadwing up, and started to run, trying his best to avoid Starscream's assault. The blue seeker, was very weak, it was as if his internal components were smashed to bits, for he was leaking heavy amounts of energon. Gasping for breath, Dreadwing looked up at Optimus' stern optics, they were filled with so much determination, but yet they were also filled with uncertainty. The blue seeker knew that he was more like dead weight, than actual help, but he knew that the Prime wouldn't leave him to deactivate.

"Prime… ", Dreadwing uttered, "I don't think I could… last much longer.", he struggled to vent.

"Stay with me Dreadwing, I'll try an find a safe place, hidden from Starscream.", Optimus assured, looking for a good hiding place.

"There is no use Prime… I was mortally wounded.. I-I'm losing too much energon…", he cringed, moving a servo to reveal that his torso was punctured with rebar.

Looking down at Dreadwing, "I will not leave you behind, be as it may, you can be saved from deactivation.", the Prime stated, looking for a place to hide.

"I wish that I shared your optimism…", the blue seeker coughed, his vision began to blur.

Noticing that Dreadwing's frame was starting to go limp, Optimus hastened his search and found a nearby cave, and thanks to the cover of darkness, it might take some time before they are discovered. Leaning Dreadwing against a wall, the Prime noticed that the blue seeker was carrying a few sticky detonators.

"Dreadwing.", the Prime shook the blue seeker, causing his red optics to open.

"What is it Prime?", he asked, his voice sounding very weak.

"I have a plan, to stop Starscream, but I'll need your explosives.", the Prime inclined.

Nodding his helm, Dreadwing willingly gave Optimus his arsonal, "Do with them as you wish, but I have a favor to ask of you.", the blue seeker implied.

"What is your favor?", Optimus asked.

"Make it hurt.", Dreadwing growled, his optics flashing with vengeance.

* * *

 _ **{Volcano Location}**_

Arcee trudged her way up the side of the volcano, he legs buckled with every step, due to the incredible weight of the relic container. With each step, it was as if she was being beaten down, her pedes literally dug into the volcanic soil, which caused her to almost trip. She knew that this was no easy feat, but after a while the Tox-En inside the container started to show side effects, of exposure.

Venting heavily, the blue femme set the relic down, trying to keep from overworking herself, "Arcee to base, I have almost reached the top.", she gasped, but no answer.

"Scrap… the line must be busy…", She sighed, picking up the relic again, the blue femme started her venture again, only to hear the distinct sound of Insecticons. With a deep vent, Arcee broke into a sprint, her pedes kicking up dirt, as she ran towards the rim of the volcano.

Feeling the heat on her metal, she knew that she was nearing her destination, "The quicker I get rid of you, the faster I could get out of here.", she said to herself, looking down at the large pit of glowing rock, and in the middle of the pit was hole in the ground.

Walking over towards the hole, Arcee looked down to notice that it lead to a large chamber of lava. Suddenly, before the blue femme could lob the container, holding the Tox-En, into the smoldering pit of lava, she felt the ground shake. Standing behind her was a group of five Insecticons, and in the middle was a large beast of a bug, with whitish green slash marks on its frame.

"Hand over the relic, Autobot!", the middle bug demanded.

Glaring at disgusting creature, Arcee grew a slight smirk, for this rudimentary beast has no idea, what it's walking into. Then, in one swift movement, the blue femme kicked the container, into the pit, causing all the Insecticons to take a defensive stance.

"You'll pay for that!", the middle bug roared.

"You wish.", Arcee laughed, transforming into her motorcycle alt mode, and slamming her rear tire into the face of the Insecticon.

Using the Insecticons face to propel herself into the sky, the blue femme drive off, only to be pursued by the five 'Cons. Swerving down the volcano's rocky slope, Arcee picked up her speed, so gain as much distance as possible from the Insecticons.

"Arcee to base, do you read! I am in need of a ground bridge ASPA!", the blue femme yelled.

* * *

 _ **{Meanwhile- Autobot Base}**_

The sound of Bumblebee's screeching tires, echoed throughout the base, leaving skid marks behind that steamed. June Darby, and Agent Fowler, ran down from Raf's location, to meet up with Jack and Miko.

"Woo Hooo! That was so totally rad!", Miko cheered, getting out of Bumblebee, only to cover her mouth and make a heaving sound.

Once Jack was out of the yellow muscle car, Bumblebee transformed back to his bot mode, and walked over towards Ratchet to show him the relic, "Good work son at helping Bee find the way out.", Agent Fowler congratulated Jack.

"Don't mention it, 'we' were just doing our part in helping out Team Prime.", Jack smiled, pulling Miko over, her face tinted green.

"Well yes, both of you did a good job.", Fowler chuckled, only for June to run passed him, and give a big hug to her son.

"Um mom?", Jack gasped, under his mother's iron grip.

"Just one more moment dear.", she sighed, relieved that her son was alright.

"Ahem? Do you have a doggy bag?", Miko asked, her face flushed, causing June to let go of her son, who was now able to breath.

June looked over at the ill teen, and walked over towards her, "Miko you shouldn't have snuck out.", June stated, putting a hand on the teen's forehead, "Your not too hot, but just to be safe, follow me and I'll give you some medicine.", smiled, walking Miko up the stairs, towards the couch.

Walking passed Fowler, Jack ran up the stairs, and stood next to Raf, who was having a conversation with Bumblebee, and Ratchet, "So any news?", Jack asked.

"Nothing yet, the coms have been silent for a while, nobody has reported back yet.", Raf informed.

"Any else? Like what Bee and Ratchet are talking about?", Jack questioned.

"Just that the relic Bee found, was something called the 'Phase Shifter', and that it could prove useful against the Decepticons.", Raf explained.

"I just hope the other relics are just as useful as this one.", the teen shrugged.

"Actually about that…", Raf began, before the com-link went off.

"Arcee to base, do you read! I am in need of a ground bridge ASPA!", the blue femme's voice buzzed.

Ratchet who was having a conversation with Bumblebee, about the next relic location, immediately turned around to answer Arcee's urgent call, "Arcee we hear you loud and clear, what is your current situation?", Ratchet asked.

"I'm driving down the side of a volcano, I just disposed of the relic, and I'm being pursued by five Decepticons, I require extraction!", Arcee informed.

"Did she just say, that she got rid of the relic?", Jack asked Raf.

"Y-Yes, the relic she was lead to was a cash of Tox-En, a type of deadly poison, bad enough to snuff a spark.", Raf explained, Jack giving a nod in response.

Typing on his console, Ratchet was able to pinpoint Arcee's current location, the giant display screen, showing the blue femme's movement speed, as she drove down the volcano. Then, the display picked up on the Insecticon readings, and displayed the five 'Cons as red dots. Analyzing the area, Ratchet was able to assess Arcee's best location for her to be bridged from.

"Arcee prepare for your bridge.", Ratchet announced, activating the bridge.

Driving faster, than she thought she could, the blue femme, zoomed down the rugged slope of the volcano. Her sights aiming at the ground bridge, that just then opened, at the base of the volcano. Then, the Insecticon with the markings, dive down on top of her, knocking the blue motorcycle off course.

"You're going nowhere, Autobot! For I, Hardshell have defeated wrecker, and I'm the strongest of my kind! You are not even a challenge!", the Insecticon laughed.

"If I'm not even a challenge, then why haven't you scrapped me yet?", Arcee mocked, getting back on course.

Growling at Arcee's mocking, Hardshell chased the femme, shooting at her with his weapons, but she dodged every attack.

"Hey Hardshell!", Arcee taunted, "For some bug who claims to be the strongest, you're very far from it!", she exclaimed, doing a wheelie, and driving faster.

Enraged by the blue femme's taunting, Hardshell began to shoot rapidly, not even caring if he misses. However, Arcee proved to be more witty, and directed their course to that of the ground bridge. Knowing that this'll be a close call, Arcee drove faster, to the point she felt as if her frame would fall apart. The portal was getting closer and closer, but she knew that if she were to slow down, then the Decepticons would have the upper hand.

"Arcee to base, I'm coming in hot! Clear the area!", she ordered.

Then, within that instance, the blue femme flew through the portal, with Hardshell following behind, shooting his blasters. Swerving left and right, Arcee dodged all but one attack, hitting her rear wheel, the blue femme was sent spinning on her side, sliding into the base. With a loud metallic screech, the blue motorcycle, transformed back into her bot mode.

"Ratchet close the ground bridge now!", Arcee gasped, holding her side.

With a flip of a switch, the ground bridge closed, leaving the Insecticon inside the now closing portal. Hardshell was trapped, the blue and green walls began to collapse, and the tunnel began to compress. With no way of escaping, the Insecticon tried to fly out the way he came, but the more he flew the more he felt as if his frame was being stretched. Rotating his helm, he noticed that the portal end behind him, looked more like a void of darkness that was sucking everything into it. No matter how fast he flew, the black hole behind him, pulled on his frame, sucking him into oblivion.

* * *

 _ **{Meanwhile- Antarctica}**_

Walking back into the cave, Optimus noticed that Dreadwing was still online, but very weak, due to his core temperature falling. Huffing, the blue seeker looked up at the Prime, whose blue optics flashed with determination.

"Prime… what are you doing here… I thought you were going to deal with that defiler?", he asked.

"I understand how you feel, the lost of someone close to you, is the driving force behind your actions, ", the Prime foretold, "Nonetheless, I am not the one who seeks vengeance, and I am not the one who deserves to cast judgment, on the one who ultimately deserves it.", Optimus implied, handing over the detonation switch, to Dreadwing.

Realizing that Optimus gave him the only means of getting his revenge, Dreadwing gladly accepted the detonator. Grasping it tight, the blue seeker got up on his week pedes, his whole frame shook with determination.

"Thank you, for giving me this chance.", Dreadwing bowed, his red optics glowing a grateful red. Bowing his helm back, Optimus looked out of the cave, to lay sights on the approaching Starscream, whose faceplate held the expression of glee.

"Come out, come out wherever you are?", the silver seeker taunted, "I promise to make your deaths, worth your while! It's not everyday you get scraped, by someone as powerful as I.", Starscream laughed.

"As powerful as you? What are you with out that armor?", Dreadwing asked, limping out of the cave, with Optimus following behind.

"Nobody's perfect.", Starscream responded, walking over towards the two mechs.

Optimus squinted his optics, "Dreadwing, allow me to distract Starscream, I'll lead him over to the trap.", the Prime informed.

"Understood, Prime.", Dreadwing winced, gripping his torso, the cold weather affecting his wounds.

Nodding his helm, Optimus transformed into his big rig alt mode, crashing the side of his truck mode into Starscream, causing the naive seeker, to follow him, "Where do you think you're going Optimus?", Starscream laughed.

Dreadwing watched, as the traitorous seeker chased after the Prime, his plan actually worked, and Starscream was playing along, not even realizing it. Gripping his pain stricken side, the blue seeker followed Optimus' tire tracks, that lead back towards the research outpost. Coming to terms that this might be his last fight, he took the chance and disabled his pain receptors, not even caring about his wounds anymore.

"I will fight till my last vent, I vow that Starscream will pay for the pain he has caused me, for if he doesn't fall my spark will never rest! Do you hear me brother, I will avenge you!", Dreadwing yelled, running towards the fight.

* * *

 _ **{The Nemesis}**_

Soundwave walked into the bridge, his processor whirling with an unknown feeling, something he has never felt, for eons… He was angry. Not just anger, but a burning hatred that made is neon purple accents flicker. Approaching the warlord whose, expression was that of disappointment, gazed at the monitor, his red optics glowing an enraged red, as Soundwave informed him of the current situation.

"So you mean to tell me, that no relics were recovered!", Megatron barked, "Blasted Insecticons!", he sneered, after Soundwave gave him a progress report.

"What about our Doctor and that abomination?", he asked, his voice sounding rough.

"So they were aboard the Harbinger, to download the archives? How interesting…", Megatron trailed off, "Nonetheless, I want you to keep a close observation on them at all times, and report to me your findings, understand.", the gunmetal warlord demanded.

With a nod, Soundwave walked over towards his station, and activated the coms network, checking the worldwide life signal scanner. The scanner showed the current location of all Decepticon ground and air location, that included Knock-Out's. Wherever Knock-Out was, Megatron assumed that triple changer was close, and by the detailed coordinates, he figured they were still aboard the Harbinger.

To Megatron's surprise, however, his SIC's life signal was nowhere to bee seen, and he swore he saw Dreadwing's life signal on the radar, not too long ago. Fearing that he lost one of his most loyal subordinates, Megatron looked over towards Soundwave, who already had a plausible answer.

"So Dreadwing has disabled his life signal? No wonder he has gone off radar.", Megatron growled, his optics focusing on the last location, his SIC's spark signature was last pinged.

"Soundwave set the Nemesis' course to this planet's southern pole, if our forces are unable to obtain these relics, we will be placed in a major disadvantage.", Megatron ordered, "Also, send an order to our Doctor, will you. We might need medical assistance.", the warlord commanded, walking up to the holographic map.

* * *

 _ **{The Harbinger}**_

Laughing, the two mechs walked out of the secret room, their little 'prank' was finally finished, and ready for Starscream to return, "You know, for someone who hasn't pranked anyone in their life cycle, you seemed to catch on fast.", Knock-Out smiled.

"Well I just hope that protoform we used, doesn't go to waste…", Knightwave sighed.

"Heck, you were able to change its appearance, to that of Megatron, without using his CNA, I call that a funny prank.", the red doctor grinned.

"I'm not talking about that, I was trying to imply that we could've use it.", the purple seeker explained.

"Oh right… well we still have the remain four protoforms, still aboard the Nemesis.", Knock-Out reassured.

"You do have a point, and besides we could always return here, to pick up this one, if Starscream doesn't freak out and start shooting at it.", Knightwave shrugged.

"Yeah I wouldn't bet my luck on that.", Knock-Out chuckled, "Screamer would end up shooting at it, and believe that he killed Megatron, but luckily you kept his faceplate the same, it'll be hilarious when he finds out he 'shot' himself.", the red doctor laughed.

"Ha real funny…", Knightwave sighed, at Knock-Out's crude humor, however the purple seeker noticed that Knock-Out stopped talking, and turned to see that the red mech, had stopped walking, to answer his com-link.

"What's the matter?", Knightwave asked.

"We're being called back to the Nemesis, I am needed for medical reasons.", Knock-Out informed.

"Any other details?", he asked.

"No, just that Lord Megatron is in need of my service.", Knock-Out shrugged, "Open a ground bridge to the Nemesis.", Knock-Out told Knightwave.

"Alright, once back I'll resume my work on reviving your conjux.", he bowed, opening up the ground bridge.

"Oh and Knightwave, before I forget… what was it that you wanted to talk to me about, earlier?", Knock-Out brought up, "Is it about mine and my sister's spark bound?", he asked.

"In a matter of fact it was, for me and Soundwave used to share a sibling spark bound, until the day he attempted to deactivate me… that was the day our spark bound was broken, and I may have a theory to explain why my spark was still operational.", Knightwave informed.

"Then say it.", Knock-Out implied.

"The theory is not yet complete, but your sister had a thought related to that of tethered sparks, thus giving me the idea that sparks whose purpose in this world hasn't yet been realized, or bound by strong emotions, will not be able to pass over to the Allspark.", Putting a servo in his forehead, as if thinking, "This could also go either way, as in if the tethered spark has that of a spark bound, with a sibling or spark mate…", Knightwave stopped, for he was still thinking over his theory.

"I think I understand you… our sparks when bonded, form this connection to this reality, thus overtime creating a type of tether, if we are deactivated, but we have a strong bond, it is impossible for our sparks to move on… like having unfinished business.", Knock-Out added.

Nodding his helm, the purple seeker was astonished that Knock-Out could comprehend his theory, and maybe this would mean that he could actually finish, what Rigor Mortis started. They could actually bring back the deactivated, and rebuild Cybertron back to its former glory.

"Glad to hear that you understand, shall we proceed to the warship?", Knightwave gestured towards the portal, with a nod both mechs walk into the portal, and await whatever the outcome.

* * *

 _ **{Meanwhile- Autobot base}**_

With a loud metallic screech, the blue motorcycle, transformed back into her bot mode, "Ratchet close the ground bridge now!", Arcee gasped, holding her side.

With a flip of a switch, the ground bridge closed, leaving the base in a eerie silence, except for the slight sound of Arcee's tires sizzling. Coming to his senses, Ratchet ran over towards the blue femme, catching her before she fell over.

"Arcee?!", Jack yelled, running down from the upper deck, followed by Agent Fowler, and June.

Ratchet began it examine Arcee's wounds, she was pretty banged up from the stunt she pulled, but that wasn't the least of her worries. When the Insecticon shot her, an energon round was able to pierce the side of her abdomen, ripping through cables and fuel lines.

"Ratchet, is Arcee ok?", Jack asked, his voice holding concern.

"For the most part, she is still online, but she has suffered a serious injury, than needs to be fixed.", Ratchet informed, "Bumblebee!", he called.

Rushing over towards the old doctor's side, the yellow scout was ready for any order, *Bweee whoooiiiizooii*, he exclaimed.

"I need your help carrying, Arcee to that berth over there.", Ratchet pointed to the berth on the far side of the room.

Nodding his helm, the yellow scout took one of Arcee's arms, while Ratchet took the other, and both mechs slowly walked the injured femme, over towards the medical station. Laying her down on the berth, Ratchet pulled out a scanner, that he just finished working on, and started to look over Arcee's injuries. Worried about his partner, Jack ran over towards the old doctor, running up a flight of stairs to overwatch the situation.

"Is she going to be alright?", Jack asked.

Finishing his scan, Ratchet turned his helm towards the teen, "Her wound isn't too serious, nothing I can't fix… however it will take some time to be fully repaired.", Ratchet informed.

"How long will it take to be repaired?", Agent Fowler asked, walking up to Jack's side, followed by Raf, and June.

"The shot the Insecticon took, blaster right through her, entering her abdomen in an angle, and exiting really close to her bipedalism cord, or in your terms her spine.", Ratchet pointed out, "Luckily it missed her t-cog, and vital cords, but the near miss of her bipedalism cord, has me worried.", Ratchet sighed.

"I can see why you are worried.", June remarked, putting a hand over her mouth, "Who knows what kind of damage that could've caused, if that round hit her cord… similar to that of our spine gets injured… it could lead to paralysis…", June mused.

"Are you saying that Arcee could be paralyzed?!", Jack questioned, his eyes growing wide with fear.

"That is only a possibility.", Ratchet intervene, "Nonetheless, Arcee's condition is stable, all she needs is some time to heal, which should be around a week of treatment, if she relaxes and stays out of fights.", the old doctor explained.

"But what about the 'Cons? With one more teammate out of the fight, how are you supposed to compete with them?", Agent Fowler asked, worried about the current state of Team Prime.

"Unfortunately Agent Fowler, that is something we cannot predict-", Ratchet began, only to be cut off by the com-link.

[Doo dee doo]

"Optimus to base, do you read. I require a ground bridge.", Optimus' voice announced through the speakers, explosions could be heard in the background.

* * *

 _ **{Meanwhile- Antarctica}**_

Optimus' trap has worked, for he has successfully lured Starscream to the detonation point. Transforming into his mech mode, the Prime skid across the icy ground, and came to stop in the middle of the research outpost, which was an empty field. Circling around the field, was random buildings, and beyond that was the vaste tundra. Blue optics rotations, Optimus stood his ground, as Starscream casually walked towards the Prime, unaware of the explosives, that were buried under his struts.

"So tell me Optimus.", Starscream grinned, "Whatever gave you the impression, that I would possible want to join you?", he snickered.

"Starscream, I gave you a chance to redeem yourself, and renounce your deceptive ways, but as I see it, you'll never change.", Optimus spoke calmly, transforming his servos into swords.

"What should I say? Being bad is what I'm good at.", the silver seeker respond slyly.

"And being naive is just in your nature!", Dreadwing's voice announced from behind, causing the seeker to turn around.

"Fools, the both of you!", Starscream taunted, "Do you really think, that the two of could possibly defeat me? Especially you.", the armored seeker pointed at Dreadwing, "Why do you insist on fighting me, when you can barely stand?", he pointed out.

"Unlike you, I have something, someone to fight for! And I will not rest until your spark has been gouged out!", the blue seeker growled.

"Oh really, I dare you to come over here and try.", Starscream taunted.

 _{Oh don't you worry Defiler, once I am able to get that armor off you, you'll stand no chance against me.}_ , Dreadwing sneered.

Optimus gazed at Dreadwing, his frame looked badly damaged, along with the rebar that punctured his abdomen. However, the Prime knew that this fight wasn't his, it was Dreadwing's. The three mechs stood still, standing their ground, then in one swift movement, the blue seeker charged at Starscream. Unexpectedly, Dreadwing didn't strike the armored seeker, instead he skid over next to Optimus, his red optics glaring Starscream.

"Autobot and Decepticon working together, how cute.", Starscream grinned, only to hear the familiar sound of a bomb.

Looking over to the side, he noticed that Dreadwing has stuck a bomb to his back, frantically trying to take off the explosive, the armored seeker was too late. In a explosion, equal to that of a stick of dynamite, a cloud of smoke filled the air, leaving the Prime and the SIC, wondering if it did anything.

However, before the smoke cleared, the sound of Starscream's laughter filled the air, "That tickled! Fools! Not only am I intelligent, I am invincible!", the seeker mocked, "Now where were we? Or right, I was about to snuff your sparks!", he bellowed.

"Prime.", Dreadwing whispered, "I want you to distract him, this is my chance to finally avenge my twin.", the blue seeker stated, pulling out a few more timed detonators.

"Are you positive, that you wish to go this route?", Optimus asked.

"I would gladly take my own spark, if my demise puts an end to Starscream.", Dreadwing remarked, sticking a few bombs onto his chassis.

"It has been an honor, Dreadwing.", Optimus acknowledged.

"Likewise.", the blue seeker bowed his helm.

With a deep vent, "He is far too powerful, Prime! Fall back", Dreadwing yelled, running the opposite direction of the Prime.

"Cowards!", Starscream exclaimed, "You will not escape my might!", he aimed his enhanced Resonance Blaster, at Optimus who skid to a stop.

"Wait…", the armored seeker mused.

Looking around, he noticed that both Optimus and Dreadwing, had stopped at equal distance away, "You two are up to something.", Starscream speculated, before he felt something, or someone latch themselves on his back.

"I'll see you in the Pits!", Dreadwing exclaimed, revealing a detonation switch.

Optics growing wide, Starscream tried his best to get away from the SIC, only to notice that the ground around him, started to blink red. Using the servo he used to hold the detonator, the blue seeker hit the Apex Armor, causing the visor portion to transform, revealing the silver seeker. With a smile, Dreadwing activated the explosives, closing his optics, the blue seeker didn't even feel the intense heat of the explosion.

Optimus watched, with a heavy spark, as the massive explosion lite up the sky, "Optimus to base, do you read. I require a ground bridge.", the Prime stated, however, the distinct sound of metal servos clapping caught his attention.

Turning around, the Prime was face to face with the Decepticon leader himself, Megatron with the Nemesis, looming behind, "Bravo Optimus, I must comment you, that was a devious plan.", the gunmetal mech snickered, "Not only did you deactivate my Second in Command, but you did me a favor at destroying Starscream, nicely done.", he clapped.

"Megatron.", Optimus spoke dryly, glaring at the smug expression, the warlord had on his faceplate.

"Tell me Prime, how did you get the locations of the relics? As far as I'm concerned, you are still a bit rusty, at decrypting codes.", Megatron noted.

"That is none of your concern, Megatron.", Optimus remarked.

"Oh really? None of my concern?", He laughed, leaning in closer, and stared the Prime in the optics, "How's Bulkhead?", he asked.

That comment made Optimus shake, not with shock, but with anger. Not only did Megatron show not regard for the loss of his SIC, but he dared to mention Bulkhead. Glaring back into Megatron's twisted red optics, "Megatron, leave him out of this.", Optimus scolded.

"You and what army?", the warlord chucked, beckoning his troops.

Realizing that he stood no chance against by himself, the Prime took a step back, only to bump into that of Ratchet, whose faceplate held that of scorn, "Listen Megatron, you may have an army, but you'll never have a family!", the old doctor snapped, glaring at the smug warlord, "Come on Optimus, we have better things to do, than stand here in the cold.", Ratchet scoffed, walking back into the portal, glaring at Megatron, the Prime did the same.

Snickering, as the portal closed, Megatron walked over towards the crater, looking down into the abyss, only to notice off in the distance a servo sticking out of a snow mount. Walking over, Megatron noticed that the servo belonged to that of Dreadwing, his scraped frame almost unrecognizable.

"Soundwave, inform our Doctor that Dreadwing is in need of medical attention.", the gunmetal mech commanded, "And inform him that I desire Knightwave's medical expertise as well.", he added, before walking away.

* * *

 _ **{Autobot base}**_

The base was silent, the humans have left to their homes, after Optimus had returned from his mission in Antarctica. The Prime was feeling rather uneasy, for they were only in possession of one relic, while the fate of the Apex Armor, and the Resonance Blaster, seemed to have been destroyed, along with Starscream. However, the Prime felt as if Dreadwing's life was wasted on the desire for revenge, for even Ratchet and Bumblebee agreed that the blue seeker, had more potential. Nonetheless, there was nothing he could've done to convince Dreadwing, to back out of his decision.

With a sad sigh, Optimus watched as Ratchet patched put Arcee's wound, with her out of the fight, that only left Team Prime with 2 able fighters, Bumblebee and himself. If only Wheeljack would come to his senses, then maybe they'd be on an even playing field. However, with the potential threat of Starscream out of the way, maybe just having the Phase Shifter, was good enough.

Helping Arcee off the berth, Ratchet walked her over towards the depressed Prime, "Hey Optimus, don't think for a second that I've given up. Once my wound is fully repaired, it's back into the fray.", the blue femme grinned.

"For the meantime, I will serve as your replacement.", Ratchet informed

Looking at the old doctor, "Are you sure, old friend?", Optimus asked.

"I may be old, but that doesn't mean I can't fight.", Ratchet chuckled, which in turn made Arcee snicker.

"Understood.", Optimus nodded.

"Now, if you excuse us Optimus, I have a patient that needs to go into power down.", the old doctor informed, walking passed Optimus.

"Good night.", Arcee waved, as she clung onto Ratchet.

With a slight wave back, the Prime too headed down the hallway, towards his private quarters, the thought of Dreadwing, still on his processor.

* * *

 _ **{The Nemesis}**_

The silence of the med bay, turned the already eerie atmosphere, into something more heavy. Dreadwing's desecrated frame, was laying down formally on a levitating berth, that was brought in by an escort of Eradicons. Knock-Out who was given word that the SIC needed medical attention, wasn't expecting this outcome, neither did Knightwave.

Both mechs stood on either side of the berth, for they were given word that Lord Megatron, wanted to have a word with the two of them. The red doctor wasn't too keen on what is to come, nor was he prepared to have to deal with a deactivated Dreadwing. Nonetheless, he couldn't help but feel as if something was wrong, as if his very spark was pulling towards the SIC's remains.

Looking over towards the purple seeker, Knock-Out noticed that he too was looking down, at Dreadwing. Knightwave had to be feeling something, for it was as if the seeker was analyzing the mangled frame. However, before Knock-Out could ask him about the unknown feeling, Megatron walked through the med bay doors, and approached the two mechs.

"Greetings Lord Megatron.", both mechs bowed.

"Hm, it seems that both of have been busy?", the gunmetal mech remarked, "Leaving the Nemesis to board the Harbinger, now tell me why?", he asked.

Looking over at Knightwave, Knock-Out stepped forward, "Be as it may my liege, we were simply there to download the ship's database, regarding the research of Protoforms.", the red mech explained.

"Oh really? Then why do you seek that research?", Megatron asked, looking over at Knightwave.

"To simply further the research, regarding that of the reincarnation.", the purple seeker implied.

Walking over towards Knightwave, the gunmetal warlord looked down upon the triple changer, "Is that so? Then enlighten me on the subject.", Megatron requested, "Use Dreadwing's frame if you please.", he grinned.

"Or course…", the purple seeker nodded, opening the charred chest plate.

Once opened, the three mechs had a good view of Dreadwing's spark chamber, which surprisingly was still intact. Strangely, to Knightwave's surprise he noticed that there was a small flicker of light, emanating from within the center of the chamber.

"What is that?", Megatron asked.

Optics opening wide, Knightwave knew exactly what he was looking at, "Dreadwing, he's…", He gasped.

"Still alive!", Knock-Out exclaimed.

* * *

 **End of Chapter Notes:** (͠≖ ͜ʖ͠≖) _So whatcha think about dis chapter eh? I Know that I said that this chapter would be posted sometime next week, but While I'm typing up the next chapter, I don't want to keep something as exciting and suspenseful as this, to be left unread! Yeah You're gonna see that I tend to do this, posting a chapter, even though I said that I won't post anything until I finish typing the next one, so I could have consistent updates... Buuuuuuuttt If there is a chapter that I really like, and I worked really hard to edit it, even though I should've been working on the next... I apologize, cuz I can't control my creative little mind! This chapter had to be posted! Even though I am not finished with Chapter 14! Like I haven't even finished copying it from my notebook, nor have I edited it yet... so yeah... tehehehehehe..._ **Thank you for reading** , _and see you in the next update..._


	14. TFP: Sparkless Ch14: Consequences

**Disclaimer** **:** _I do not own any of the Transformers characters in the TFP series, nor do I claim ownership of any_ _kind towards anything trademarked. This story is just for fun, and isn't connected towards the true lore behind the franchise. The only things I own are the OCs._

 _ **An Update** _**note:** _I hope you guys didn't deactivate while waiting! I've been very busy with personal matters, and I had to put this story aside while I dealt with my issues, but here it is Chapter 14. Let me say I had an enjoyable time typing up this chapter, it is very well devised, and I did enjoy re-reading three times! So if I missed any grammar errors, it's because I ain't Santa Clause! Hehehehehehe! So please I hope you enjoy this chapter and_ **Thank you for reading!**

* * *

 **Chapter 14: Consequences**

Once opened, the three mechs had a good view of Dreadwing's spark chamber, which surprisingly was still intact. Strangely, to Knightwave's surprise he noticed that there was a small flicker of light, emanating from within the center of the chamber.

"What is that?", Megatron asked.

Optics opening wide, Knightwave knew exactly what he was looking at, "Dreadwing, he's…", He gasped.

"Still alive!", Knock-Out exclaimed.

* * *

Megatron glared at the flickering light, never has he seen this before, "Tell me Knightwave, is this what Rigor Mortis defined as a 'Tethered Spark'?", the gunmetal warlord asked.

That question made the purple seeker shudder, how does Megatron know of this, but he does not? Recently, he started to come up with the theory of Tethered Sparks, but he never knew that Rigor Mortis had already come up with the idea.

"How do you know about that?", he asked dryly.

With a slight chuckle, "There are many things, you still have yet to grasp.", he grinned, "Not all of your beloved Rigor Mortis' research was saved on the Immortal, and I doubt the Harbinger's database has anything you truly need.", he implied.

"What do you want in exchange?", Knightwave questioned, his violet optics burning behind his visor.

Smiling deviously, "I want you to revive my SIC, for that I will disclose to you the files I have, and don't think you'll find them within the Nemesis' databanks.", Megatron snickered.

Taking a deep vent, "You have a deal, but in one condition.", Knightwave scowled.

"And that would be?", the warlord asked.

"You allow Knock-Out and I, to also try and revive Breakdown.", he stated.

Looking over towards a still figure, covered with a grey tarp, "If you succeed on reviving Dreadwing, then I'll consider your proposal.", Megatron remarked, "I want to see results, understand.", he demanded.

Both Knightwave and Knock-Out bowed their helms, "Good, I'll be back to check on you two, and as for the files.", Megatron pulled out the same datacard, that was given to him when Knightwave gave up the Iacon coordinates, "I do hope the operation is successful, or you'll be the one lying on that berth.", he growled, handing the card to the purple seeker.

With nothing to say, Knightwave took the datacard, his optics burning with anger. All Megatron did was snicker, before turning around, and walking away.

Knock-Out looked over at the angered purple seeker, his whole frame was shaking, not at the fact that he had to rebuild Dreadwing, but at the fact that Megatron was in possession of Rigor Mortis' work. Questions were whirling around his mind, questioning everything, questioning why.

Putting a silver servo on Knightwave's shoulder, Knock-Out tried his best to find out what was troubling him, "Look, I know for a fact that, I have no idea what is bothering you, but we were given a chance, a chance to finish what Rigor Mortis started.", he remarked.

"I wish I was as insightful as you, but when Megatron gave me this datacard, I knew that he was hiding something.", Knightwave implied, looking down at the device.

"What do you mean?", the red doctor asked.

"Think about it, I was just coming up with the theory of Tethered Sparks, only for him to already have knowledge, regarding its existence.", he sighed, "If this datacard contains the knowledge of Tethered Sparks, then my theories have been nothing, but time wasted.", he stated.

"Nothing you do is wasted time, you have done more for me than anyone on this warship. Even though you never knew me, before now, you still took your time to make a deal with a complete stranger. You of all mechs used your time, to find a way to bring back my conjux, and help my sister... And don't think for a second that your theories are nothing.", Knock-Out exclaimed.

 _{You're a good mech, Knightwave.}_ , Tap-Out's voice echoed, _{And don't let Megatron get to you.}_ , she remarked.

"You're right but… I still have no idea how Megatron was able to get a hold of this data.", he sighed.

"Maybe Rigor Mortis hide the data… maybe she already knew the answer, but didn't want anyone to find out the truth… so she separated the research…", Knock-Out hypothesized.

"Possible… but why would she keep this from me?", Knightwave asked.

"I don't know, I never met her.", the red mech shrugged, walking over towards a medical tool station, "That sounds like a question only she could answer, and for you to find out", he remarked.

Subspacing the datacard, Knightwave walked over towards Knock-Out, and started analyzing the tools, "So.", the red mech began, "How do you rebuild a deactivated frame?", he asked.

"We can't rebuild him.", Knightwave sighed.

"What? Lord Megatron explicitly told us to rebuild him.", Knock-Out reminded.

"I know, but look at him. ", The purple seeker walked, Knock-Out over to the berth, "His frame is completely desecrated, we cannot simply reform his original body structure, we'll need to transfer his inner components into a new frame.", he explained.

"How are we going to do that?", Knock-Out asked.

"It's not that simple, first we'll have to take apart his original form, to check if his drives are still in tact. If his drives are damaged in anyway, we'll have to transfer them into a new processor, via a Cortical Psychic Patch. As we can see, his spark chamber is in good condition, minus a few scorch marks, but that could be easily repaired.", Knightwave informed.

"Anything else?", Knock-Out asked.

"We'll need to sample his energon for a CNA transfer, and that is where my protoform theory comes in.", the purple mech implied, walking over towards the Starscream clones, that were laid against a back wall.

"So I'm guessing, you're going to use those protoforms, to clone Dreadwing's CNA for a body transfer?", Knock-Out asked.

"Yes… however I am afraid that due to Starscream's CNA being encoded into the protoforms overall biology, there will be limited traits.", Knightwave explained, "That is why, when I attempted to change that clone into Megatron, the faceplate stayed the same… it wasn't intentional.", he implied.

"Oh… so Dreadwing's new frame would end up looking like a mix of himself and Screamer? Well, if he wakes up, I guarantee he won't be happy.", Knock-Out crossed his arms.

"That is why I am planning, to make him look nothing like his former self… It is better that way…", he sighed.

"What is that?", the red mech asked.

"When one is Tethered to this reality, you lose a sense of self, you lose who you were, and who you really are.", he said with a sigh,"You're never truly the same, and you're never truly complete. That is why it is best to start over, and become a new you.", Knightwave foretold, selecting one of the clones.

"So… you speak from experience…", Knock-Out sighed.

"I am not the same mech I was before, I feel as if I am ghost, walking around without a clear purpose... for why I still live… for why still want to help others. All I know is, is that I am who I am, and not who I was.", he confessed, lifting up the protoform, and dragging it over to a berth.

"Here, let me help you.", the red doctor inclined, helping Knightwave lift up the Starscream clone, and placing it on the berth, "So what next?", he shrugged.

"I want you to inject this protoform with Dreadwing's CNA, while I extract his spark chamber from his original frame, along with his drives.", Knightwave instructed, before pausing, "Actually…", The purple mech mentioned, "I would like you to observe the practice, for I cannot simply do the spark separation operation, when I am the who needs it.", he chuckled.

"I am very well familiar with opening up others, but since this is a new practice, I'm all audios.", Knock-Out responded, walking towards the berth, Dreadwing was lying down on.

With a surprised expression, that his visit covered up, "I'm surprised that you're actually willing to perform this procedure.", the purple mech remarked.

"Don't be, I've been awaiting the day Dreadwing ended up on my lab table…", he grinned menacing, only to notice that Knightwave was giving him a confused gesture, "Oh and separating you and my sister…", he rolled his optics.

Knightwave continued, to glare at the red mech, "What?", Knock-Out shrugged, "He's been getting in my nerves.", he implied.

With a scoff, Knightwave walked over towards the berth, and began to examine the blue seeker's spark chamber. With an angered pout, Knock-Out walked over towards the berth, and began to watch as the purple seeker, started to examine the chamber.

"So, mind me asking… what are you looking for?", the red doctor asked.

"I thought you already knew…", Knightwave mumbled, looking rather focused, for his visor started to display many lines of data.

"Well it's just that, you're a professional in your craft…", Knock-out trailed off, as he watched the purple seeker.

"Alright.", Knightwave began, as he pointed at various vital fuels lines, that were connected to the spark chamber, "These fuel lines, connect the spark chamber to the chassis, we'll need to cut them, and carefully extract the chamber.", he explained.

"Wait, wouldn't that sever it from the energon circulation system?", the red mech asked.

"Yes, but that only applies if the patient is still alive. Dreadwing is far from living, for his energon has ran cold, and is frame is completely deactivated.", Knightwave informed.

"But that still doesn't explain, why is spark is still operational.", Knock-Out implied.

"That I still don't have the answer to… would you mind handing me a plasma scalpel?", he asked.

With a half smiled shrug, Knock-Out walked over towards the medical tool, and picked out a container, holding an array of cutting tools, "Pick your favorite.", he remarked, opening the container.

Picking out a tool, Knightwave proceeded with the operation, and began to cut the spark chamber out of the chassis. Knock-Out watched, as each fuel line that was connected to the chamber, was cut with exquisite precision. Impressed with the purple seeker's concentration, the red mech was marveled, on how fast Knightwave cut through all of the many fuel lines.

"So its it really that simple to remove a spark chamber?", Knock-Out asked.

"For being simple beings, we are more complicated that we seem. Our biology is completely frustrating, one wrong move and we deactivate… it's as if Primus designed us to be faulty in someway. Our spark chamber is no exception… it's overall design was meant to contain a living energy, a living energy that could power a mechanical form, if our form is broken it could be repaired, but if the spark chamber is broken, we die.", Knightwave mused.

"Oh that's very sentimental.", Knock-Out commented.

"After eons since my last operation, I've always had this feeling that Primus created us to fail, and when we succeed he finds a way to cause us trouble… Dreadwing wanted revenge for his fallen twin, but I believe that he failed, and Primus refuses to let him join the Allspark until he succeeds… just like how Shockwave has a lust to deactivate the Autobots, but in reality Primus knows that the Decepticons are at fault.", the purple seeker sighed.

"What does this have to do with Dreadwing?", Knock-Out asked.

"I worry that the moment he realizes, that Starscream wasn't deactivated, he'll be consumed by rage, just like I was when I awoke… I was in a state of denial, at the fact that I was offlined by my own brother, and I still am… I don't know why I feel the way I do, I guess being brought back from nonexistence, has a real impact on you.", Knightwave shrugged, walking over towards the tool table, and placing the scalpel down.

With a sigh, Knock-Out had a question that was beginning to fester in his processor, and he had to ask it, before it literally burned a hole through his head gasket, "Knightwave…", he spoke, catching the purple seeker's attention, "Regarding my sister… why do you think she wasn't allowed to join the Allspark?", he asked.

With a sigh, "That's a question you need to ask yourself… remember a Tethered Spark could work both ways, either they are holding themselves back, or another is keeping them bound to this reality. Primus works in mysterious ways, and they can be a real pain in the aft.", he responded.

"I...I see…", the red mech gloomed, "How about we continue with the operation, we wouldn't want Lord Megatron to think we're not doing as he ordered.", he sighed, his processor clouded with questions.

With a slight nod, Knightwave walked back to the berth, "Removing the spark chamber is simple enough, all we have to do is lift it out of the chassis.", he explained, "Grab the edge of the chamber, and slowly pull towards you.", he demonstrated, grabbing the sides, and showing how loose the chamber was.

Nodding his helm, Knock-Out grabbed the other side of the chamber, and in one swift movement, the chamber was lifted from Dreadwing's chassis. The chamber was lighter than the red mech thought, it was as if it was made of a lightweight metal, which in turn made it feel fragile.

"Alright, let's lay the chamber on that table.", Knightwave gestured his helm over towards an empty lab table.

Both mechs slowly walked, over to the table, and slowly placed it down, "Alright, next we have to extract the processor, and look over the conditions of the drives.", the purple mech implied.

"Can't memories be extracted from the spark?", Knock-Out asked.

Shaking his helm, "Unfortunately it cannot , the spark holds no correlation with our memories, or our emotions, it just holds are very being.", he responded.

"What do you mean?", the red mech questioned.

"Our spark is what defines us, makes us do what we do, but our emotions and memories are what we develop on our own. Primus created our sparks, thus he is responsible for what we become, either that is the path of good, or the path of evil, all of that was decided by him.", Knightwave remarked.

"So what you're trying to say is, without the memories, the spark if transferred into a frame with blank drives, will create a new being, based on the spark's overall purpose, crafted by Primus?", Knock-Out mused.

"Couldn't have said it better myself.", the purple seeker commended, walked back towards the berth.

"But what about bonded sparks? How do they work exactly?", Knock-Out asked.

"You are very inquisitive aren't you?", Knightwave grinned, "Well, spark bonds are basically when two or more sparks share a similar purpose. They are drawn to each other, due to the common wavelengths they share, this could lead to the reason why there are factions. It's as if Primus wanted us to be divided.", he sighed, opening up the remains of Dreadwing's head gasket.

"What about broken spark bonds?", Knock-Out asked.

"A broken spark bond, occurs when the spark of another has changed, Primus may have crafted us to fit the image he preferred, but that doesn't mean we can't change our own fate, and go against our strongest desires. We have the ability to change, the ability to go against Primus and his predetermined destiny.", Knightwave informed.

"That does explain a lot… so what's next?", Knock-Out stated, walking over towards Knightwave.

"We need to analyze if his core memories are still intact, and by observation, they appear to be in decent condition, take a look.", the purple seeker noted.

"Hm I thought an explosion, like that would've damaged his processor, but I guess I underestimated the Commander.", he shrugged, getting another silent glare from the seeker.

"What?", Knock-Out shrugged.

"Is there any High Grade on the warship? I might need to drown myself in it.", Knightwave remarked.

"Seriously?", the red mech asked.

Rolling his optics, under his visor, Knightwave walked over towards the tool table, and selected a fine plasma scalpel, "We'll need to sever the core processor from the head gasket, the same way we extracted the Spark Chamber, except once we take it halfway out, there is a vital cable, connected the base of the processor to the bipedalism cord. From there, we simply sever the cord, while making sure it isn't damaged.", he explained.

Nodding his helm, "After you.", Knock-Out responded.

With a conformation nod, Knightwave proceeded with his procedure, cutting fine lines around the sides of the processor, loosening it from the head gasket. Looking up at Knock-Out, "I'll need you to hold the processor, and slowly lift it out, so I could sever the cord.", he instructed.

"Alright.", the red mech confirmed, putting a silver servo on top of the processor, and slowly lifting it.

Knock-Out had never performed this type of surgery before, nor has he actually pulled out another bot's processor. He's seen processors before, but actually handling such a vital component, made his feel less like a doctor, and more like an assistant. Which in actuality, he was in fact being Knightwave's assistant, for this operation.

While deep in his own thoughts, the red mech never noticed that Knightwave had successfully severed the processor from the head gasket, "It's done, now we must proceed with the rest of the operation, but this part might take a while to complete.", the purple seeker stated, taking the processor from Knock-Out and walking it over towards the lab table, the chamber was on.

"And what would that be?", Knock-Out asked.

"We need to transfer Dreadwing's CNA into the protoform, and create a new appearance for him.", Knightwave remarked.

"Leave the body work to me, since I do specialize in outer beauty.", the red mech chuckled.

"I am quite aware of you talents, however we need to first see what kind of shape he takes, once we implement his CNA into the protoform.", the purple seeker stated, grabbing the energon infuser, and taking a sample of Dreadwing's CNA.

"How do these protoforms work?", Knock-Out asked.

"They copy whatever CNA is transfused into them, everything about them is artificial, even down to their Spark. However, our very CNA is encoded with our own personal data, resulting them to be an exact copy of us, even down to our desires, resulting in an instant spark bond.", the purple seeker explained, "Which is why it isn't recommended to use them for cloning, due to the fact that they are bonded to that of the original, all the pain inflicted to a clones are then felt by the original.", Knightwave snickered, thinking about all the pain Starscream, must've gone through, when his clones were deactivated.

"Interesting, so they are exact copies? Like I could use them to clone Breakdown?", Knock-Out asked.

"Indeed, but I wouldn't recommend that. Protoforms do have a will of their own, even though they do share the same desires, and emotions, they have completely different personalities.", Knightwave informed.

"So he wouldn't be the same...", Knock-Out sighed, "Well, it was worth a shot.", he shrugged.

"Don't you worry about a thing, I promised that I'd bring back your conjux, and I'll make sure he's the same bot he was, before he was deactivated.", the purple seeker reassured, "Now then, we should, continue with the operation, no more fooling around.", he exclaimed, injecting the protoform with the CNA.

Once done, Knightwave extracted his data cables, and latched them onto the chassis, and with one violent burst of electricity, the protoform started to take shape, bending and morphing into a new shape. The silver color didn't change, neither did the sleek shape of the frame, but the servos, the pedes, and the faceplate changed, along with the wings. Overall, Starscream's CNA was still the dominant factor, which the protoform only gained some of Dreadwing's traits.

With a sigh, "I seems that he'll need more body work, that I initially speculated.", Knightwave shook his helm, retracting his cables.

"Hmm?", Knock-Out mused, putting a servo in his chin, and squinting his optics, "You know, I swear he looks familiar… think… think…", the red doctor thought, before snapping his digits.

"What is it?", Knightwave asked.

"Do you recall those legends they we were told as younglings, you know the ones of the ancient warriors, that were created long ago by Unicron, and lead by Galvatron?", Knock-Out mused.

"Well I cannot say I haven't heard about them, I use to like to listen to those tales.", the purple mech responded.

"Well, my absolute favorite tale was that of Cyclonus, Galvatron's second in command, and most valuable soldier among his warriors.", the red mech implied.

"Are you implying that Dreadwing's new frame, looks similar to that of the description of Cyclonus?", the purple seeker crossed his arms.

"Maybe with a few alterations, and some minor upgrades, and you've got a beautiful recreation of one fierce bot.", Knock-Out laughed.

"If you insist.", Knightwave inclined.

"Really?", the red mech asked.

"Sure, if I had the choice to look like a legend, I'd agree. Either way, as long as it doesn't resemble Starscream, I have no quarrel with your creative talent.", the purple seeker tiled his helm, and began to examine the processor.

 _{Are you seriously giving Knock-Out the go ahead, to make Dreadwing look like Cyclonus? I mean he's nothing but a legend, a bot who died during the fight between the 13 Primes, and was on Galvatron's side… you know Unicron's warrior.}_ , Tap-Out remarked.

"I am quiet aware of Cyclonus' story, it too was one of my favorite tales, especially the part where he renounced his ways, and joined that of the side of good.", Knightwave whispered.

 _{Wait, I never knew that part? I thought he died fighting Solus Prime.}_ , Tap-Out asked.

"That's a common misconception. Cyclonus wasn't deactivated by Solus, rather he was her lover. They become bonded during a confrontation, which soon lead to his betrayal of Unicron, and Galvatron. He was indeed deactivated by Galvatron, while defending Solus.", the purple mech explained.

 _{So they became to first spark bond… uh… I never knew…}_ , Tap-Out sighed, realizing that all this time, her brother was right to admire Cyclonus.

"Misconceptions like that have been passed down for eons, the story is always ever changing, because others wish to believe that nobody could change their fate, but Cyclonus did just that. He changed his ways, and took the path he chose, not Unicron's.", Knightwave explained.

 _{But if his spark was created by Unicron, doesn't that mean he created his will?"}_ , Tap-Out asked.

"Not entirely true, when he was forged, he was one without a spark. Over time, he soon developed one on his own, and his purpose become clear.", he implied.

 _{How did he 'develop' a spark on his own?}_ , she asked.

"That I do not know, Sparkless entities tend to stay void of anything, their feels are rendered nonexistent, but I do believe that Cyclonus was granted one by Primus, when he succeeded to enter the Well of Allsparks. If he didn't grain a spark, then he would've gone about his orders, and deactivated Primus, but he didn't.", Knightwave informed.

 _{Was that when he was confronted by Solus, and they became bonded?}_ , she questioned.

"You're exactly like your brother, so many questions… but yes that is where they fought, only for Cyclonus to realize that he didn't want to fight. Surprised by his sudden action, Solus was informed by Primus himself, that this spawn of Unicorn was given the gift of a spark, forged by himself.", the purple seeker told, doing another examination of the drives.

 _{I assume that she spared Cyclonus, and gave him a talk about renouncing his affiliation with both Galvatron and Unicron?}_ , Tap-Out mused.

"Exactly, and since Primus deliberately made Cyclonus' and Solus' sparks with the same purpose, they soon became lovers, only for Cyclonus to be deactivated by the hands of Galvatron, while defending Solus… a sad ending for a great warrior.", Knightwave sighed, not even realizing that Knock-Out was listening the whole time.

"So do you two usually talk, behind my back, or is it story time and I didn't get invited?", the red mech exclaimed, causing the purple seeker to literally jump out of his concentration.

With a deep vent, "In a matter of fact, me and your sister do talk, and I was just informing her about the legend of Cyclonus…", Knightwave grumbled.

"Yeah I was listening the whole time, this place is so quiet you could hear Soundwave vent.", he joked.

"Of course you can, but I believe that you're not here to joke are you?", the purple seeker implied.

Rubbing the back of his helm, "If you must know, I finished evaluating Dreadwing's new frame, I speculate the amount of time required to create his new look, is around one Earth week. This will also give you enough time to install both spark chamber, and processors.", Knock-Out informed.

"A week… 7 days, or equal to that of solar cycles… alright, if there are no complications with the transfer, then a week is good enough.", Knightwave nodded.

Giving the purple seeker a confused look, "How long did it take you, and Rigor Mortis to rebuild Shockwave?", he asked.

"Too long, he was our first and only successful transfer, even though to me he wasn't fully complete.", he vented deeply.

"We might as well continue, after all we don't want Megatron banging down the door, and start demanding results.", Knock-Out joked, only for the med bays doors to open, revealing that of Megatron.

If only Knock-Out could see Knightwave's expression, "Way to go groundpounder…", he mumbled.

"I demand a process report.", the gunmetal mech growled.

"My Liege, we have successfully extracted both spark chamber and processor, both are in good condition. All we need to do is adjust the protoform's outer appearance, remove its inner components, and transfer Dreadwing's into the frame.", Knightwave reportedly, in a formal manner.

"How long am I supposed to wait, before my Second in Command is fully operational?", Megatron asked.

"Seven solar cycles.", the purple seeker implied.

Shaking his helm, "Seven solar cycles seems a bit too long, I would incline you to consider using the healing properties of Dark Energon.", Megatron persuaded.

With a shake of his own helm, "My apologies Lord Megatron, but I advise against using such inferior materials.", Knightwave dismissed.

"That was the same thing Shockwave told me, many eons ago. I can see that your influence, has a strong impact on others.", the warlord scowled.

"Speaking of Shockwave, whatever happened to him?", Knightwave asked.

"He perished many stellar-cycles ago, he was pronounced deactivated when his space bridge experiment exploded. He was in pursuit of the Autobots, when his prisoners escaped, no thanks to Starscream.", Megatron informed before turning around, "I want to see results, I'll check back in soon, to observe your progress.", he commanded, walking out of the med bay.

Once Megatron was gone, Knightwave looked over towards Knock-Out, "Well That was very… unexpected.", he remarked.

"What it wasn't my fault.", the red doctor crossed his arms.

"Come on, let's get back to work.", the purple seeker implied, getting back to his analysis of Dreadwing's processor and Spark chamber.

"Whatever you say Knightwave.", Knock-Out grinned, getting back to preparing for the remodel of Dreadwing's new frame.

 _{I'm sorry about Shockwave, hearing this kind of news, isn't for the faint of spark.}_ , Tap-Out mourned.

"Shockwave was a good friend, but I have without a doubt, he is still online.", Knightwave whispered.

 _{What makes you believe in that assumption?}_ , she asked.

"He's survived far worse…", Knightwave implied, "Now of you please, I have to get back to work, Megatron said he wants results, I intend on giving it to him.", he remarked, picking up a soldering tool, and began to repair some minor damage on the processor.

* * *

 **End of chapter Notes:** _Howdy! Yeah this chapter is jam packed with rewritten story... Yeah I rewrote a lot of the original story to fit my story, and BTW I am a Cyclonus fan, and I decided that it would be frakin' amazing, if we had some sort of variant of him in this story, so my edgy teenage self decided to make Dreadwing just that. I hope that it isn't dat weird to have Dreadwing be rebuilt as Cyclonus, well he's just gonna look like him... kinda since I thought if you combined Dreadwing with Starscream, their fused form would look similar to that of Cyclonus._ ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ **!Thanks For reading!** _my weird story..._

 _ps: uh look up the IDW comics version of Cyclonus... that's what I'm basing the appearance after... just add some of Dreadwing's features..._ ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

 _pss: Expect the next update during next weekend or sometime EVENTUALLY... I am still dealing with personal issues :(_

 _psss: If there any grammar errors, expect them to be adjusted over time, I tend to update all my chapters if I notice minor to major overlooked errors._


	15. TFP: Sparkless Ch15: Arrival

**Disclaimer** **:** _I do not own any of the Transformers characters in the TFP series, nor do I claim ownership of any_ _kind towards anything trademarked. This story is just for fun, and isn't connected towards the true lore behind the franchise. The only things I own are the OCs._

 _ **An Update** _**note:** _Sorry for the wait, editing this chapter was... it was freakin' hard... I actually had to smash two chapters into one, since this is basically a whole episode. Also, If I kept it as two individual chapters, then I bet it would have confused you, so I decided it was best to fuse both together... that's why this chapter is so long. In addition, I am still going through some personal stuff, so expect another long delay for chapter 16, which might also be as long as this one, who knows. So I hope you guys enjoy this chapter, and please inform other out there who like alternative timelines and ridiculous OCs! hueheuheuheu! Other than that please enjoy chapter 15! yeahhhhhh!_

* * *

 **Chapter 15: Arrival**

The familiar sound of a hissing ground bridge, echoes throughout the Autobot base, as Ratchet and Bumblebee exit the portal.

"Let me guess, Screamer packed up everything and high tailed it out, leaving nothing behind?", Arcee asked, closing the bridge.

With a sigh, "Optimus was right to speculate Starscream's survival, but what he didn't suspect was how fast he could move locations.", Ratchet replied.

"What do you expect? He was in possession of two Iacon relics, and has the ability to fly... no thanks to us.", Arcee scowled, feeling a tight pain on her side, for her wounds were still fresh, "Not to mention that he was a former 'Con, and still one at spark. You had to expect that he'd betray us, and try to take advantage of our trust.", she implied.

"Yes, yes, I know that we should've been more cautious, but Optimus wasn't expecting such a betrayal. We at least have someone on the other side who we can trust.", the old doctor responded.

"You're not talking about Tap-Out? I thought you said that you didn't trust her anymore?", Arcee put her servos on her hips.

Looking to the side, "Well, I'm not talking about her.", Ratchet remarked.

*Bweee zoooioioio dodododod weeewooooowwwwooozzzibebebedii.*, Bumblebee buzzed.

"I am quite aware of his background as a Decepticon, but I believe that Knightwave is on our side.", Ratchet assured.

With a slight scoff, "I don't think trusting any 'Con could go well, look what happened to Dreadwing, and I personally think that entrusting this Knightwave, who by your word, is fused with Tap-Out, can't go as well as planned.", Arcee speculated.

"When does anything go according to plan, Arcee? At the very beginning we 'planned' to end this war, now eons later we are barely hanging on! Look at us, we're nothing like we once were, a shattered civilization, lost to the stars… if hope does exist, we haven't found it yet, and at least Knightwave showed me that, not matter the side, we could still work together.", Ratchet ranted, only for the sound of Optimus' footsteps to be heard, walking into the room.

"I heard a commotion.", Optimus stated.

Standing upright, despite her discomfort, "Optimus, I am concerned about the current state of the Autobots.", Arcee began, getting a nod from the Prime, "We are relying too much on the enemy, to 'help' us win this war. Look at what Starscream did, he betrayed our trust, and is in current possession of two Iacon relics. Now, I am being told that we are to trust another 'Con, who we have no idea who they are, and what they are capable of.", the blue femme testified.

"I understand your concern, and I regret ever letting Starscream take advantage of us, like he did. Nonetheless, we shouldn't let these inconvenient circumstances devoid us of our objectives, we need to stand vigilant, and make sure we don't get caught in any deceptive traps.", the Prime stated.

*Bewwww zoooiiiioododododododod woooozziii?*, Bumblebee buzzed.

"That is ludicrous! If he was truly a devoted member of the Decepticons, then he wouldn't have let me escape!", Ratchet intervened.

"I know that Knightwave let you escape, but be cautious old friend, who knows what Knightwave's true intention are.", Optimus implied.

"His intentions are to help us, he gave us the coordinates to the relics.", Ratchet remarked.

"Yeah he may have given us a head start, but Starscream still beat us to two of them.", Arcee crossed her arms.

"I still have no idea how Starscream was able to track down the relics, but I am positive it has nothing to do with Knightwave. Optimus, you have to believe me, I trust him, and I know that his intentions are true.", the old doctor pleaded.

The Prime was taken aback, he trusts Ratchet's judgment, but also the coincidence of dealing with Starscream, was something of an enigma. However, without the aid of this Knightwave, the location of the relics wouldn't have been discovered, until much later, and at least they currently are in possession of the Phase Shifter.

Putting a servo on Ratchet's shoulder pads, "I have in faith, that your judgment is true, however I'd like you to be very cautious when dealing with Knightwave, for I don't want anymore inconveniences to befell on us.", the Prime stated.

"Thank you Optimus! Thank you!", Ratchet thanked, his blue optics glowing a cheerful hue.

*Bweee zooioioioioio sweeezoooriii?*, the yellow scout buzzed.

"Right, what about Starscream?", Arcee repeated Bee's question.

For a moment, Optimus looked as if he were in deep thought, then his optics flashed, "I am in speculation that we have been hacked.", he announced.

"Impossible, how could Starscream 'hack' us?", Ratchet remarked.

"Ratchet!", Arcee exclaimed, "The device he gave us, the one that had the top secret files, where is it?", she asked.

"It's hooked up to my personal console, why do you…", Ratchet's optics suddenly flash, "Scrap!", he uttered, immediately running towards his private quarters, with the others following behind.

In the far corner of the room, was Ratchet's private console, and plugged into one of the ports, was none other than the device. Immediately, the old doctor removed it from his console, severing it's connection completely.

"Blast it to the Pits.", Ratchet cursed, looking at the device.

"Was it connected this entire time?", Arcee asked, limping into the room, with Bumblebee and Optimus helping her stay standing.

"Unfortunately it was.", Ratchet mumbled, "I believe that Starscream had planned this from the very beginning, and I foolishly played along.", Ratchet shuddered.

"There is no need to blame yourself, we were all deceived by Starscream. Regardless, his link to our database has been severed, however I do advise a thorough analysis of our servers.", Optimus advised.

*Bweee doioioioioiowoooooziiii dooozzziii.*, Bumblebee buzzed.

"You are correct Bumblebee, Rafael's technology skills could lend us a hand, at analyzing our database, for any virsuses.", the old medic nodded.

"The kids get out of school in a few, I'll go pick up Raf-", Arcee began, before getting cut off by Ratchet.

"Yap-Yap! You haven't fully recovered from your injuries, I'm sure that Bumblebee could handle that job, just fine.", Ratchet implied.

"Ratchet, it's been nearly a week, and I'm doing fine.", Arcee pleaded.

"Unfortunately Arcee, you still need help to walk, and I believe that Ratchet is right, Bumblebee go retrieve the children.", Optimus remarked.

With a buzz, Bumblebee walked out of Ratchet's private quarters, and exited the base. While Bee was out to pick up the young teens, Ratchet and Optimus helped an annoyed Arcee, back to the main room.

"How much longer will it take for my wound to heal?", the blue femme asked.

"In due time, a wound like yours doesn't simple repair itself within 2 solar cycles.", Ratchet responded.

"But I could be out there, searching for Screamer, doing what's best for the team.", Arcee implied.

"Arcee.", Optimus began, "For the betterment of the team, it is best that you fully recover, before being able to venture out.", the Prime remarked.

With a huff, the blue femme nodded her helm, "Alright I'll sit a few days out, but don't expect me to like it.", she vented.

"Good, now that we're all settled, I'm going to break this device apart, and try to relay a false signal, so I could trace it to the source.", Ratchet informed.

"Solid plan, if Starscream is still dumb enough to continue to use our database, and knowing him he might be.", Arcee shrugged.

"I'll leave you to your work, I'll be heading to my quarters if you need me.", Optimus informed, however while he was headed back towards the hallway, Bumblebee came roaring in.

The yellow scout's tires skid across the pavement, as he came to a complete stop. Immediately, one of the black doors opened, with Rafael hastily running out, with his laptop in hand.

"Guys! I found something!", Raf yelled, rushing up the stairs, while Jack and Miko climb out of the yellow muscle car, before Bee transformed back into bot mode.

"What the emergency?", Arcee asked.

Plugged his laptop into the monitor, "Well, on the way here I decided to check the internet for anything related to aliens, and while erasing a picture of Bee, underneath it was a recently uploaded picture.", the little teen exclaimed, displayed the image.

"What's that?", Jack asked.

"A Cybertronian escape pod!", Ratchet gasped, "Here in Earth's atmosphere?!", he questioned.

"Autobot or Decepticon?", Arcee asked.

"Impossible to to tell, given the image resolution.", the old doctor rubbed his chin.

"In any event, this merits investigation.", Optimus implied.

"Could be a trap.", Arcee remarked, "Should we reach out to Wheeljack?", she asked.

With a slight scoff, "We've been trying for solar cycles to contact him, to no avail. Why would this circumstance, change anything?", Ratchet grumbled.

There was a slight pause, it was as if everyone knew that Wheeljack would probably never show his face ever again. The wrecker had questionable loyalty, but he was still an Autobot at spark. However, Wheeljack hasn't been seen or heard from for weeks, and didn't show up to Bulkhead's burial, giving the Autobots the impression that he's gone rogue.

Out of the silence, Optimus spoke up, "An Autobot may be in distress", he implied walking over towards the ground bridge controls and locking in on the pods location, "Ratchet bring your medical kit.", he ordered.

With a nod, the old medic grabbed his things, and walked up to the portal, only to be followed by a limping Arcee, "Arcee you know that your injuries haven't been repaired-.", he began.

Pointing over at the ground bridge controls, "I'm just heading towards my station, you don't have to worry about me, pulling a Miko.", she grinned.

"Hey!", the young teenage girl spoke up, only to get a few chuckles from Jack and Raf.

"Yes, yes.", Ratchet mumbled, walking over towards Optimus and Bumblebee.

Arcee then activated the ground bridge, and without any time to spare, the three mech's transformed into their vehicle alt modes, and drove through the portal.

* * *

 **{The unknown pod's location}**

The pod, that Raf discovered, had crash landed in the middle of a dense forest, the area around the crash site, was covered with scorch marks, and destroyed trees. In the midst of the still moment, the familiar sight of a green vortex opened up, hissing as the trio of Autobots exit it. Transforming back into their bot modes, Bumblebee took point, with his servos extended, with his blasters ready to fire.

Right in front of them, was the crashed pod, it's energon reserves spilled all over the uplifted dirt. Approaching the pod, Bumblebee whipped off a section of grim, to reveal that of a red Decepticon insignia.

"It is of Decepticon origin.", Optimus announced.

*Bweee dioioioioio wooooowzweeeiiiii dooo.*, Bumblebee buzzed, in an angered beep.

Suddenly, before Bumblebee could talk to the Prime, the familiar sound of Decepticon blaster fire shot through the air. Taking a defensive stance, the trio of mech began to fire back, at the engaging 'Cons, who also brought along a squad of Insecticons.

*Bweee dididdidi cooooozzziii?*, Bee buzzed.

"Humans refer to the phenomenon as a 'clown car'!", Ratchet exclaimed.

The battle between the 'Cons has gotten to out of hand, they were outnumbered, and the Insecticons were proving too unmanageable. Optimus knew that if any of them were to get injured, then all hope at ending this conflict would come to an end.

"Arcee, do you copy!?", Optimus exclaimed, trying to fight off an Insecticon.

"What going on?!", Arcee asked, her voice yielding concern.

"The Decepticons have beaten us to the pod's location, and we are engaged in a heated battle. Prepare the Ground bridge for immediate evac!", the Prime announced.

However, within that instant, Optimus spotted an unfamiliar figure emerge from the dense forest, shooting his blasters at the Decepticons. Surprised at the unexpected occurrence, Optimus watched as the unknown Cybertronian maneuvered through the battlefield, taking out the enemy.

Stunned by the unknown mech, Ratchet and Bumblebee watched as he ran passed them, exclaiming, "Down in front!", while he fought against the 'Cons.

"Friendly?", Ratchet asked, staring confused at the unknown mech.

Regrouping, the Autobots took a stand, helping the unknown mech hold up against the 'Cons. However, the unknown bot missed one of the Eradicons, and his shot ended up hitting the pool of energon, igniting it.

Noticing the sudden burst of flame, "Fall back!", Optimus ordered.

Taking immediate action, the four mechs ran as fast as they could, and hid behind a large rock structure, shielding them from the massive explosion. Blue flames danced around whatever remained of the forest, which now had a massive clearing.

Inspecting the are for any Decepticons, the unknown mech stood up high on a rock, "Whoa! Too hot for you 'Cons!?", he shouted in victory.

"Optimus what was that, it sounded like an explosion?", Arcee's voice buzzed, through Optimus' still active com link.

"Apologies Arcee, I was distracted by an unknown ally.", he stated, "Keep the ground bridge on hold, for now.", the Prime replied, walking up to the white and blue mech.

"Nice shot hu?", the white mech chimed, only to get a stern look from Ratchet.

*Bweee didioioioioleeelolololololwooooziiiiii!*, Bumblebee buzzed, in an angry tone.

"He's right, you could've gotten us all deactivated.", the old doctor grumbled.

"Wow, your voice is so cool!", the unknown mech gasped, "Has your voice also sounded like that!?", he gleaned, only to get an angry buzz from Bee.

Walking towards the trio, "Thank you fell Autobot you're-.. Valor is to be commended.", Optimus acknowledged.

Suddenly, the unknown bot paused, while his neon blue optics lit up with joy, "I don't believe it!", he giggled, "You're Optimus Prime! He's Optimus Prime!", the white mech pointed with glee.

"Yes, yes… yes we know.", Ratchet sighed.

*Dododo Weeee…*, Bee buzzed, sounding annoyed.

"What is you name soldier?", the Prime asked.

Immediately getting in a formal military pose, the unknown mech saluted Optimus, "Smokescreen sir!", he exclaimed.

"Welcome to Earth, Smokescreen.", the Prime greeted, extending a servo, that at which was gladly taken by the white mech.

"It's an honor to be here, especially with you!", Smokescreen accepted, with a massive smile on his silver faceplate.

*Bweee dooo?*, Bumblebee buzzed, with his arms crossed.

"It's not like we could simply bridge him back to base, we are still recovering from Starscream's betrayal, not to mention he came here in a Decepticon escape pod.", Ratchet pointed out.

"Old friend, if you are capable of trusting this 'Knightwave', then I am sure we are safe to assume that Smokescreen is trustworthy.", Optimus implied.

"This is a completely different circumstance!", Ratchet exclaimed.

"Hold up, did you just say 'Knightwave'?", Smokescreen asked.

"Do you know of him?", Optimus asked.

"Well I don't know him personally, but I've overheard Alpha Trion talking to someone about him.", the young bot responded.

"Wait a nano-kilk, you knew Alpha Trion?!", Ratchet gasped.

"Yeah I was stationed at the Hall of Records, as one of his personal guards… however I wasn't to thrilled at first watching the back of an old bot, instead of kicking 'Con tailpipe!", the white mech exclaimed, only to be glared at by Team Prime, "Sorry…", he uttered.

"Smokescreen, what was it that you 'overheard' Alpha Trion talking about?", Optimus asked.

"Well it's kinda vague but… He was talking to what sounded like a femme, discussing something about 'Knightwave' being the 'key' to unlocking the truth about… ressur- resuurekton? Resurecktion… constructi- Eh I don't remember.", Smokescreen laughed.

"Resurrection.", Ratchet remarked, his voice holding a sense of fear, "Optimus, I believe that what he's saying is true, Knightwave was pronounced deactivated, along with Tap-Out, and now they are online, and share one frame.", he informed.

*Bweeee dodododidididid wooooziiiiidoooo?*, Bumblebee buzzed.

"Yes I am aware of how convenient, this occurrence is Bumblebee, but we need as much help as we can get.", the old doctor explained.

"So wait does that mean?", Smokescreen jumped with joy.

"Arcee, open the ground bridge.", Optimus announced.

"Whoo hoo! Oh yeah!", the white mech fist pumped, at the sight of the portal, only to notice that both Ratchet and Bumblebee were giving him confused looks, "Sorry.", he uttered, following Optimus into the portal.

* * *

 **{Meanwhile- The Nemesis}**

Megatron stood in front of a monitor, his red optics glowing with anger, with each passing second, "What do you mean we failed to secure the crash site!?", he yelled, causing the bridge to go silent, "And what do you mean the Autobots have gained another ally! Grr this means they are growing in numbers and I cannot have this!", he growled, walking away from the monitor.

"Soundwave, inform the Doctor that it'll be paying another visit, and tell him this is important.", the gunmetal mech commanded.

"So what is so important, that we have to cease or progress?", Knightwave asked, standing next the Knock-Out, who was waiting in the middle of the med bay.

"Don't ask me, Soundwave was very brief in his transmission.", the red mech shrugged.

"Of course he was…", the purple seeker scoffed.

"Don't be such a sad sack, besides at least we aren't being forced to work at gunpoint.", Knock-Out snickered.

"We might as well be, it's been 2 solar cycles already, and Megatron isn't pleased that the operation takes more than 7…", Knightwave sighed.

"It's not like he's going to come in here, and start demand us to work our servos to the pistons.", the red doctor joked, only for Megatron to walk into the room, a clear unpleasant expression.

"Good speculation doctor.", Megatron grinned, "I was going to inform you, that due to troubling circumstances, I will need Dreadwing to help lead my armada, as soon as possible.", the warlord informed.

"Wait what!", Knock-Out gasped, "But my liege, that's too demanding of an order, Dreadwing still has a lot of body work, and wiring to be fully operational!", he stressed.

"He is right, this type of procedure will take some time to fully complete.", Knightwave added, "It's not like you have any able body who is skilled in this practice, other than Knock-Out and I.", he implied, crossing his servos.

"That is why I brought you some assistance, Soundwave!", Megatron spoke, waving his menacing servo, beaconing the silent mech.

"Megatron, I am quiet aware of my own talents, and I don't want work with someone who I refuse to be around!", Knightwave grumbled, glaring at the silent mech.

"Oh do tell Knightwave, for your brother has been studying your so called procedure, and is quiet well educated in the practice.", the warlord grinned, "I'm giving you two more solar cycles to complete Dreadwing's new frame, and that is final. Any impediments, and you will be deactivated. Do I make myself clear?", he questioned.

"Crystal.", Knightwave responded, in a monotone voice.

"Good, then I won't keep you, you may proceed with the operation.", Megatron dismissed, walking out of the med bay, leaving the three mechs to settle their differences, and finish the resurrection procedure.

* * *

 **{Meanwhile- Autobot base}**

"So who's the new guy?", Arcee asked, once she noticed the unfamiliar mech, who walked through the ground bridge, "And don't tell we've picked up the habit of 'picking up strays'.", she remarked, crossing her arms, as the ground bridge closed.

"Oh who's that?", Miko asked, looking over at the white mech, who was following Optimus to the center of the room.

"Everyone.", Optimus announced, "I'd like you to meet our new recruit.", the Prime spoke, guestering the young bot to introduce himself.

"Ye-yes! I'm Smokescreen, hello there… whoa what are those things?", he questioned, walking over to where Jack, Raf, and Miko were standing.

"Those 'things' are the native lifeforms of this planet.", Ratchet informed, "This is Jack.", he introduced, pointing at the young teen who waved, "Rafael, and Miko.", who both waved at the new recruit.

"So these are the lifeforms that we're supposed to protect?", Smokescreen asked.

"Indeed they are.", Optimus approached the humans, "We are sworn to protect them from anything that threatens their existence, and make sure they don't befell the same fate as our race.", the Prime stated, looking down at the young teens.

"So are these the only lifeforms on this planet?", Smoke asked.

"Pfff, no.", Arcee scoffed, "They are just a select few, who know of our existence, and the sooner you learn why we're protecting them, and staying hidden, then better.", she rolled her optics.

"It was just a question…", Smokescreen shrugged, then leaned in next to Bumblebee, "Is that femme always this intense, or did I walk in at the wrong time?", he whispered, only for Bumblebee to shake his helm.

"So Smoke.", Miko spoke up, getting the white mech's attention, "What's your story?", she asked.

"Nothing much, except back on Cybertron, I worked within the Hall of Records, guarding Alpha Trion, during what turned to be the final days of the war.", he informed.

"Ooooh so cool, what happened? Did you kick Decepticon aft? Did you protect that old bot till the bitter end?", she asked, throwing her fists around.

"Yeah 'Smoke', I bet everyone here would like to know a little bit more about you, and the fate of Alpha Trion.", Arcee implied, with a smug grin, while the others leaned into to listen to his story.

"Actually, I don't know the exact fate of Alpha Trion, and most of the events I took part in, are a bit hazy… it was as if everything went black… the next thing I knew, I was being held captive by the 'Cons… I was aboard this deep space voyager, but I managed to get out of my cell, but the strange part was, there seemed to be no one aboard the ship…and I had no idea how long I was held there…", Smokescreen recalled, rubbing the back of his helm, "I then hopped into an escape pod, which happened to be a long distance pod, 'cause it knocked me into this strange form of cryostasis, and the next thing I knew, I'm hitting solid ground… hard.", he stated.

"The Decepticon warship must have picked up the pod's beacon and gilded it to Earth.", Arcee implied.

"I don't think so.", Ratchet remarked, walking over towards the monitor.

"What do you mean? The pod was of Decepticon origins, you'd think that it wasn't gilded here, by the 'Cons?", the blue femme crossed her arms.

"The insignia, that was painted on the hull of the pod, was red. Red being used as the universal color corresponding that of Medical aid." Ratchet typed, displaying an image of the now destroyed Immortal.

"Wait are you saying that the Immortal was responsible? But wasn't it destroyed by the 'Cons?", Arcee asked, causing everyone to look up at the display.

"Indeed, back during the war, the Immortal was known for its red insignia, and that pod has the red 'Con mark. Also I believe that when the Immortal sent out that distress beacon, the signal managed to reach the pod, thus redirecting its path, towards Earth.", Ratchet implied, as the monitor displayed his assumption.

"But the question is why? Why was Smokescreen aboard the Immortal, in the first place?", the blue femme questioned, glaring up the shocked expression of the white mech.

"Be as it may, Smokescreen is a trustworthy ally, and a new member of our team. It is best that we treat him fairly, regardless the circumstance.", Optimus announced.

"Thanks Optimus, for a nano-klik I thought I was going to be interrogated.", Smokescreen laughed awkwardly.

"Oh don't you worry about a thing, as long as you don't try to pull anything too dangerous or try to betray us, then you'll be fine.", Ratchet reassured.

"Man it seems that you guys, have had your fair share of betrayal, and injuries.", Smokescreen pointed out.

"Yeah and don't take it lightly. We've also suffered from unfortunately casualties… I was lucky enough to not be apart of them.", Arcee sighed, gripping her wound.

"Oh so… there isn't anymore of you?", the white mech asked.

"Aside from Wheeljack, no. We are all that is left.", Optimus informed, his tone sounding mournful.

"Well don't worry Optimus, I will do my best to help you as much as I can.", Smokescreen saluted.

With a nod, "Smokescreen, I would suggest that you take some time to become acquainted to your new surroundings.", the Prime remarked, "A tour of the base would be an excellent start.", he recommended.

"Will do Big-O!", Miko exclaimed, jumping down the stairs and onto the bottom floor.

"Miko right?", Smokescreen asked.

"Yup, and don't wear it out.", she winked, causing the new bot to smile.

Miko immediately took off sprinting towards the hallway, her overall excitement seemed a bit strange, for Miko seemed to be rather depressed the week following Bulkhead's burial. However, Jack felt a wave of confusion, it was as if he could sense that Miko was up to no good, but he couldn't figure out why.

"Come on slowpoke! The tour starts over here!", she hollered, waving at the white mech.

"I think I'm starting to like these Earth creatures.", Smokescreen grinned, turning around and following the young teen.

* * *

 **{Unknown cave location}**

The moist air of a dense jungle, breathed in and out of a large mouthed cave, while the sound of thunder crackles through the dark sky. Inside deep within the cave, an ominous glow could be seen, its purplish hue indicating that it was artificial lighting. The interior of the ill-lighted space, looked as if it were a makeshift laboratory, random parts and cubes of energon scatter the cave floor.

Then, behind what seemed to be a poorly set up curtain, what appeared to be a seeker, was lying down on a rock, re-purposed as a berth. However, he wasn't the only seeker in the room, but rather one more were standing next to him.

"Ouch! Could you be any more clumsier?!", the silver seeker nagged.

"Listen here, master… If I wasn't created more than 12 cycles ago, and cloned from someone who actually knew anything about surgery, maybe this operation would be going smoother!", the other silver seeker remarked.

"Oh boo hoo, spare me the commentary, Thundercracker. This is my face you're dealing with!", Starscream sneered, "At least try and take this seriously!", he yelled.

"Well if your face wasn't completely blown off, maybe I could've found a way to reform it, but you had to get cocky, and try to take down Optimus Prime.", the cloned seeker remarked, trying his best to fix Starscream's destroyed face.

"Grr enough of your constant babbling! Just use the faceplate from that deactivated clone over there.", Starscream growled, pointing one of his long pointed digits, at the slumped over form of the deformed clone of Megatron.

"But that faceplate doesn't even look like your-", Thundercracker spoke before being cut off.

"Does it look like I care!", Starscream scowled.

"Uhhhhh-", he mumbled.

"Precisely, just use it.", the silver seeker demanded.

"As you wish, my liege.", Thundercracker sighed, and walked over towards the deactivated frame.

While the cloned seeker was in the process of removing the clone's faceplate, the familiar sound of a jet engine, echoed through the cave, "Skywarp! Have you returned with my request?", Starscream questioned.

"If you're asking about the paints, then I assure you master, I've brought plenty.", the other silver clone stated, placing a large crate filled with car paint onto the floor.

"Good, once Thundercracker is done with my face, you two could use those to change your appearance, I don't want others to confuse us.", Starscream implied, only to notice that Skywarp's frame looked a bit different, "Wait...why does your frame look altered? Didn't I strictly tell you NOT to change your alt mode?", he sneered.

"Sorry, but while I was flying back, I bumped into this very interesting jet. It's overall design made my spark quiver, and I knew I had to look that stunning.", the cloned seeker chimed.

"Very modernesque, it suits you Skywarp.", Thundercracker nodded.

"Are you two done mingling? I'm laying here faceless, unless you two forgot.", Starscream bellowed.

"Of course my Liege, I will be there shortly.", Thundercracker hollered, before walking back towards the silver seeker.

"Skywarp!", the silver seeker yelled.

"Yes, my liege?", the cloned seeker asked.

"I want you to search through, what the humans call, 'the information superhighway', and report to me your findings.", Starscream commanded.

"Of course Lord Starscream, consider it done.", the cloned seeker bowed, then walked over toward one of the monitors.

 _{At least you obey my commands… unlike the one I named you after…},_ Starscream thought, thinking of how immature the original Skywarp was, and his many annoying pranks.

Once logging into the monitor, Skywarp noticed that the link to the Autobot base had been severed. Thanks to him being Starscream's clone, he figured that due to his master's betrayal, they discovered that he was spying on them, via the device he'd given them. With a slight vent, Skywarp figured that it was best, not to inform his creator about this inconvenience, and decided to continue with his assignment.

After a few hours of searching through the internet, and watching an amusing video of a tap dancing monkey, that seemed rather engrossing to the clone. Skywarp came across an uploaded image, that was recently logged into a highly classified military database. Using the advanced cybertronian hacking sequence, the cloned seeker was able to track down the location of the strange, yet familiar stone, that was unearthed, and ready to ship.

"Fascinating on how ignorant these humans are.", Skywarp grinned, rubbing his chin, "They always have to upload everything they find, and don't even realize what they are messing with.", he implied, with a slight chuckle.

"Lord Starscream, I have found something rather interesting, that I believe it will help you in your endeavors.", the cloned seeker chimed, walking up to the medical area, only to find out that nobody was there.

"Uh… Thundercracker? L-Lord Starscream?", he called, looking all around the cave, only to discover that they were gone.

Backing up to turn around, Skywarp suddenly crashed into Starscream, who was standing behind him, with his servos crossed, "Did you find something of interest?", the silver seeker asked.

"Uh yes my master, I believe I found something of great interest!", the cloned seeker implied, gazing in awe at his master's new faceplate. Fortunately for Starscream, his face didn't change much, abide it having similar groves to that of Megatron, giving the once smooth faced seeker, a more menacing look.

"Well, why don't you show me.", Starscream commanded.

"Well of course, this way my liege.", Skywarp waved, leading his master towards the monitor, that displayed the image, of the red stone.

Starscream's red optics grew, not with surprise, but with all the things he could do with, "Red Energon.", he chuckled, "If I can possess its power, not only will I be stronger, but also faster.", he grinned.

"Significantly faster.", another voice chimed, from behind, causing the other two seekers to turn around.

Walking from the shadows, was a newly repainted Thundercracker, his color was now that of a lightning blue, with white, black, and red details. Overall, he looked exactly like the original Thundercracker, abide his frame looking similar to Starscream.

"We should get moving.", Skywarp smiled.

Laughing, "Why yes, we should. Lock onto the Red Energons location, and prepare to bridge there.", Starscream grinned, while his red optics flared.

* * *

 **{Meanwhile- Autobot base}**

"Phase shifter, or what I like to call the 'Go Ghost' watch, the Spark Extractor, or 'Insta-death'.", Miko pointed at all the stored relics, "Oh! Oh! And that is the immobilizer, or the 'Freeze Stick'.", she laughed.

"So I'm guessing, that this is where you guys store all the relics you found on Earth?", Smokescreen asked.

"Right-o Smokey!", Miko chimed.

"Uh, talk about a small universe, 'cause most of them came from the Iacon hall of records.", the white mech recalled, looking through the small windows of the storage vaults, "I remember these.", he remarked, looking at the Phase Shifter.

"Whoa!", Smoke paused, staring straight at the permanently surprised expression of Airachnid, "What kind of relic is she?", he asked.

"Just the kind you don't want to mess with.", Miko grinned, as she gazed up the shocked expression, of Smokescreen.

* * *

"So, what are we going to with, our new recruit?", Arcee asked, looking at both Optimus and Ratchet, "It's not like we could let him fight, he's too green, and needs more training before we let him be apart of Team Prime, officially.", she added.

"That is true, further training is required, but first he'll have to get acquaintanced with Earth's customs, before we start.", Optimus advised.

"So, why don't you pair him with one of the children, maybe they could teach him that part, while Arcee teaches him protocol.", Ratchet proposed.

"Solid plan.", the blue femme acknowledged, "How hard can it be?", she grinned.

"Hey everyone!", Jack called, waving at the Autobots.

"Check this out!", Raf hollered, from his chair.

"Don't tell me it's another escape pod… or another Bumblebee sighting…", Ratchet rolled his optics.

*Bweee zooooo!*, the yellow scout buzzed, with a shrug.

"When isn't it you, Bee?", Arcee laughed, only to notice the image that Raf displayed, "Oh my…", she gasped, as she gazed up at the image of a red stone.

"Red Energon!", Ratchet exclaimed, his blue optics glowing with surprise.

"Here on Earth?!", the blue femme proclaimed.

"What's red energon?", Jack asked.

"An extremely rare, and volatile form of Energellum.", Optimus informed.

"Refined into fuel, it provides the power of hyperspeed.", Ratchet added.

"We must have Agent Fowler clear the dig site of all human presence, in the event we are not the only ones who have discovered its location.", Optimus ordered.

"Couldn't help but overhear, but did you guys just say you found red energon?", the white mech grinned, "Let's scramble up some 'Cons circuits.", Smokescreen beamed, walking out from the hallway, with Miko running in from behind.

"Given your limited field experience, I believe that further training is required, before you are battle-ready.", Optimus informed.

"Optimus, in all due respect-", the white mech began, before being cut off.

"-Furthermore, we Autobots live on this planet as robots in disguise.", the Prime stated, "You will need to obtain an Earth-based vehicle mode.", he added.

"In order to maintain a 'low' profile, if that's possible for you.", Arcee implied.

"If you're talking wheels, bring 'em on!", Smokescreen chimed.

"Good, Miko would you mind taking our new recruit out, in search for a new alt mode.", Optimus asked.

"Sure thing Big-O!", the young teen thumbs upped, "Come on Smoke, let's find you some smokin' wheels!", she laughed, while Smokescreen followed her out.

"Are you sure it's a good thing, letting Miko help Smokescreen find a vehicle mode? You know that whatever they find, it won't be 'discrete'.", Jack Pointed out.

With a sigh, "We know, but since Bulkhead's burial, she's been down, and giving her something to get her mind out off things.", Arcee looked up at Jack, who just nodded, and went back to standing next to Raf.

* * *

 **{Dig site}**

In a burst of light, a ground bridge immediately opened, emerging from the portal, "The Red Energon is mine, humans! For you are powerless in the face of the mighty Star- what?", the silver seeker asked.

Walking through the portal was a now purple and black colored cloned, in his sharp servos was a tracking device, which was also the remote to the ground bridge. Following him was Thundercracker, his red optics looked around the area, and then at his master, who was looking around.

"What's the matter, my Liege?", he asked.

"The Red Energon isn't here.", Starscream sneered, "Skywarp! This is the correct location, isn't it?", he questioned.

"Why yes my master, this was the exact location the Red Energon was marked to be located.", the purple clone implied.

"Then tell me, where is it!", the silver seeker bellowed.

"They probably moved it, those accursed Autobots must've found out about the red energon, and ordered an evacuation.", Thundercracker speculated.

"Impossible! If they did, then we would've been notified!", Starscream yelled.

"Actually… about that.", Skywarp said, nervously.

"About what Skywarp? Out with it.", the silver seeker sneered.

"It has come to my attention… that the Autobots have discovered that your device was spying on them, and that they've severed our link to their database…", the purple clone smirked.

"What!", Starscream yelled, his thunderous voice, echoed through the air.

* * *

 **{Miko and Smokescreen}**

"So Smoke, how hot of a 'Hot Rod', do you want your vehicle mode to look like?", Miko asked, walking alongside the white mech.

"Hot enough to stand out, among the rest of the crowd!", he beamed.

"Oh! I know of this perfect dealership, it's just a few miles that way.", the young teen pointed.

"Mine me asking, what's a 'dealership'?", Smoke asked.

Looking up, "Oh it's just a place where grown ups sell cars, just imagine a place that has dozens of vehicles, of different models, and colors, parked in a massive parking lot.", Miko described.

"So you humans have different types of vehicles? To buy and drive around?", the white mech asked, rubbing the back of his helm, "What a strange planet.", he added.

"Don't worry, this dealership is wicked! It has really expensive cars, and they're really fast, and stand out, big time!", she laughed.

"Ooh, sounds like my kind of style.", Smokescreen chimed, imagining himself as an exotic earth-based vehicle.

* * *

 **{Meanwhile- Autobots}**

A green vortex opened up, near what seemed to be a loading dock, massive metal crates were piled high, while a ship was floating near a small port, which had a crane next to it. The crane was carrying what seemed to be a large metal container, that was glowing a sinister red, that lit up the night sky.

"Fowler couldn't have the crane operator lower the thing?", Ratchet pointed out, for the container that was carrying the Red Energon, was hosted high up.

"The humans must have been preparing to transfer the meteor to a cargo ship, when they received his evacuation order.", Optimus implied.

Suddenly, Bumblebee saw something in the corner of his optics, "Oh boo hoo, poor Autobots, What you can't fly? Aww, it would've made your mission so much easier.", a looming shadow laughed, yet his sneering voice, sounded so familiar.

"Starscream!", Ratchet gasped, as the silver seeker walked down a few crates, holding what seemed to be the Apex Armor.

"In the metal.", Starscream grinned, his new faceplate giving him a more serious expression, "That Red Energon has my name all over it, and I am more than willing to fight for it.", he chuckled.

"Pff, you and what army?", Ratchet challenged.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk.", Starscream waved his pointer digit, "Don't ask for something, that you cannot handle,", he grinned.

*Bweeee!*, Bumblebee exclaimed, pointing at two more figures, that emerged from the crates.

Optimus' optics then grew, with shock, as he started at two seekers who walked down from the crates, "Impossible.", he vented.

"Nothing is 'impossible' Prime, these two just happened to be aboard the Harbinger, when I came back, after getting my face blown off… no thanks to you.", the silver seeker sneered.

"And let me tell you, just thinking about that memory makes me shiver.", Thundercracker uttered, recalling the very moment Dreadwing pressed the detonation switch.

"So are we going to take it already? My faceplate is in dire need of repair!", Skywarp nagged, touching the three horizontal slashes on his faceplate, that his master gave him, as punishment for forgetting to mention that the Autobots disabled his link to their database.

"Secure the Red Energon, and have Arcee bridge it back to base.", Optimus ordered, holding his ground, while Ratchet and Bumblebee ran towards the crane, and bagan climbing up the beam, to get to the Red Energon.

"Hmf, whatever dare I ask, happened to poor Acree? If she's injured, allow me to give her a second opinion, after I snuff your sparks!", Starscream yelled, putting on the Apex Armor, "Skywarp, Thundercracker, stop those two, while I deal with Prime.", he ordered.

"Yes, my Lord!", Both seeker saluted, transforming into their jet alt modes, and flying towards Bee, and Ratchet.

* * *

Back at base, Arcee got an alarming message from Ratchet, refusing to be ready for an immediate ground bridge, in order to secure the Red Energon.

"Optimus, is there something wrong?", Arcee asked.

"Starscream and two other seeker, have come for the Red Energon, and I fear they will cause more than just harm to us, but threaten the whole world.", the Prime foretold.

Then, Arcee heard what sounded like heavy pedes walking into the base, "Starscream? I heard about that stiletto-heeled creep, back on Cybertron.", Smokescreen recalled.

"When do you ever stop eavesdropping?", Arcee asked, rolling her optics.

"Come on Cee, send me in.", Smoke implied, walking over towards the ground bridge.

"When Optimus requires backup, he will ask for it. Besides, you still need further training.", the blue femme informed.

"Aw, come on, I even got my V-mode and everything.", the white mech insisted, "I'm souped up, and ready to roll.", he added.

"I don't think so Speed-Boy, Optimus wouldn't be pleased if the new recruit gets deactivated, in his first unofficial battle.", Arcee testified, crossing her arms, and blocking the ground bridge controls.

* * *

"You know Autobots, the higher you climb, the harder you fall!", Skywarp laughed, shooting his blasters at Bumblebee, and Ratchet as they climb.

"Good work Skywarp, keep them distracted while I cut the cable, holding the Red Energon!", Thundercracker called, using a newly installed saw blade servo, to cut through the metal cables.

"Muhahahaha! What's the matter Optimus? Did you really think I, Starscream, would actually become a neutral?", the armored seeker asked, while fighting the Prime, who stood no chance against him.

Then without hesitation, Optimus ran over towards the crane, to try and halt Thundercracker from securing the Red Energon, "Autobots such slow learners.", Starscream chuckled.

* * *

"Optimus, what's your status?", Arcee called, trying her best to make contact with the Prime.

"Arcee, they need me.", Smokescreen insisted, "I can do this.", he spoke sternly.

Gripping her servos, into tight fist, "Fine what's you plan.", she hesitated.

With a smile, Smokescreen lead the blue femme towards one of the relic vaults, to her surprise, she knew that this young recruit has a plan.

While Bumblebee and Ratchet tried to fend off Skywarp, Optimus was trying his best to fend off Starscream, who was gripping one of his legs, and he tried to stop Thundercracker from sawing the cables. Then, to Optimus' horror, the blue seeker managed to cut through the final cable holding the heavy crate.

"Time to unload some dead weight!", Starscream smiled, only for a ground bridge to open up, and a screeching opal white, sports car came flying through, crashing into the side of the armored seeker, sending him, Optimus, and Thundercracker flying.

"Watch Your step!", the young recruit hollered, as he came to a tire screeching halt, with Optimus who landed by his side.

"Smokescreen.", Optimus acknowledged.

"Don't worry, I've got your back, Optimus.", Smokescreen chimed, transforming into his bot mode.

"So, the Autobots have a new recruit… how unimpressive.", the Silver seeker mocked, as Thundercracker walked over to his side, along with Skywarp, who transformed and landed next to his master.

"Hmf, and I thought you'd be taller.", the white mech provoked.

Skywarp and Thundercracker gave each other amused looks, while Starscream wasn't pleased at all with this new recruit's disrespectful attitude. So much so, that both of his armored servos were immediately balled into fists.

"Oh ha ha ha, that's very funny.", he said sarcastically, "And how do you expect to fight all three of us? You do realize, that making fun of me, also means you're making fun of my Trine?", he added, causing the clones to suddenly get defensive.

"Oh that's simple, I'm just gonna take you down.", Smoke smirked, knowing that if he were to take out Screamer, then the other two would just high tail it out of there.

"Oh well… uh…", Starscream shrugged, while both Skywarp and Thundercracker gave each other a surprised look.

"Smokescreen, stand down. You are no match for Starscream's Apex Armor.", Optimus advised.

"You should listen to your leader, Smokescreen. Any last words?", the armored seeker laughed.

"Just four: Kiss your armor goodbye.", the white mech exclaimed, running straight towards the armored seeker, and instantly phasing through, kicking Starscream out in the process.

"A phase shifter?!", Thundercracker gasped, realizing that his master was no longer protected.

"Now that's a plan!", Smokescreen cheered, looking down at the now empty suit of armor.

"Grrr, you're not the only one sporting a fancy wrist-mounted device! Skywarp! The Resonance Blaster!", the silver seeker ordered, only for the purple clone to grin nervously.

"Uh… about that my Liege…", He uttered.

"Don't tell you forgot it!", Starscream yelled, only to get a shrug in response, "You blasted fool! Thundercracker, have you secured the Red Energon?", he asked, getting back up on his struts.

"Yes my Lord.", he saluted, "Good at least one good thing happened today.", he growled, then aimed one of his rockets at a large container of fuel, causing a blinding explosion.

Immediately, the three seekers opened up a bridge, and quickly made a run for it, along with the entire supply of Red Energon. Leaving the Autobots, without a single piece to use, however they did leave behind the Apex Armor, giving them the advantage, when it came to defense. Nonetheless, Optimus knew that Starscream was no laughing matter, and now that he has 2 clones to back him up, that just made him more of a threat. Along with having a full supply of Red Energon, who knew what kind of trouble, the trine of seekers could cause.

* * *

 **{Sometime later- Autobot base}**

"Think fast." Smokescreen chimed, tossing the Phase Shifter at Arcee, who easily caught it, Told you it was a good plan.", he grinned, looking up at the Apex Armor, that was propped up against a wall.

Waving a servo, "Yeah, yeah, I just knew that if I didn't let you out, you'd be bothering me till the end of time.", the blue femme smiled back.

Approaching the young recruit, "You've done a commendable act today, Smokescreen. Choosing to place strategy above bravado, and working with a team member in order to ensure the safety of others. You have proven yourself worthy, while this may lack the pageantry of a proper ceremony, I wish to welcome you to Team Prime.", Optimus acknowledged, placing a servo on Smokescreen's shoulder.

"There is gonna be no living with him now.", Arcee nudged Bee, who simply buzzed with a sigh.

Just then, the coms went off, with an encrypted message, "Optimus…", Ratchet gasped.

"What is wrong, old friend?", the Prime asked, walking towards the monitor.

"It's an encrypted message… from Knightwave!", he exclaimed, causing everyone in the room to go still.

* * *

 **End of Chapter Notes:** _Cool chapter right? Yeah yeah, it was just an altered version of the Season 2 episode 'New Recruit', but hey it's KOOL right? Well I really hope you enjoyed this chapter, cuz I enjoyed reading it over again! Yeah cuz of dat little personal problem, I had to re re-read the whole thing, not only this chapter but the other chapters, just so I could familiarize myself it it's weird, edgy highskool vibes. I personally like how Starscream named his clones after Skywarp and Thundercracker, what a good way to remember your fallen comrades!? ehhh yeah. Other than that,_ **Thank You for reading** _my weird story, and hope to see you guys in chapter 16!_

 _ps- don't forget that I have the habit of fixing grammar mistakes in other chapters, so if I notice anything in this one, expect it to be corrected soon, if not immediately. I like to make your reading experience as smooth as possible, also if you notice anything out of the ordinary, like a certain phrase that needs to be adjusted, so you can read it better, please leave a comment or private message me if you'd like._

 _pss-... :)_


	16. TFP: Sparkless Ch16: Revival

**Disclaimer** **:** _I do not own any of the Transformers characters in the TFP series, nor do I claim ownership of any_ _kind towards anything trademarked. This story is just for fun, and isn't connected towards the true lore behind the franchise. The only things I own are the OCs._

 _ **An Update** _**note:** _Howdy ya'll, well I gotta say I've been through some things, and I'm happy to say they have been resolved, so yeah! Here's another chapter, and it's packed with more information! whooo... who likes information... ehhhh... It's important to the story so yeah a dialogue chapter you might call it, but hey it leads to greater things, and if you'd read my other chapters, then you know how my style goes, dialogue-action-plot change-plot twist-repeat... yeah not the best set up, but it works here... I guess it works here... it still has me posting chapters and not giving up on you readers, cuz I like you guys ;D... no seriously I like those who actually take the time to read stories like this, and I really appreciate you guys. I appreciate you guys so much, I fix grammar errors in all the chapters, and add some stuff, so take a look and see if you notice any changes... Other than that, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter... even though nobody is getting shot at or blown up... just wait for next time... yeah... THX_

* * *

 **Chapter 16: Revival**

 _{Previously}_

"Think fast." Smokescreen chimed, tossing the Phase Shifter at Arcee, who easily caught it, Told you it was a good plan.", he grinned, looking up at the Apex Armor, that was propped up against a wall.

Waving a servo, "Yeah, yeah, I just knew that if I didn't let you out, you'd be bothering me till the end of time.", the blue femme smiled back.

Approaching the young recruit, "You've done a commendable act today, Smokescreen. Choosing to place strategy above bravado, and working with a team member in order to ensure the safety of others. You have proven yourself worthy, while this may lack the pageantry of a proper ceremony, I wish to welcome you to Team Prime.", Optimus acknowledged, placing a servo on Smokescreen's shoulder.

"There is gonna be no living with him now.", Arcee nudged Bee, who simply buzzed with a sigh.

Just then, the coms went off, with an encrypted message, "Optimus…", Ratchet gasped.

"What is wrong, old friend?", the Prime asked, walking towards the monitor.

"It's an encrypted message… from Knightwave!", he exclaimed, causing everyone in the room to go still.

* * *

"What does the message say?", Arcee asked, looking around at all the concerned expressions.

"He wants to have a meeting with us, but he is running on limited time… he only has about 2 cycles, and has arranged it in a remote location, the coordinates are included in the message.", Ratchet informed.

"Does the message include a reason, to why he wants to converse to us?", Optimus questioned.

"Unfortunately, no. It's as if he was in a hurry to send this, and I believe that it's urgent.", the old doctor implied.

With a nod, "Autobots, prepare to bridge to the marked location, Arcee stand by for possible evac.", the Prime announced, while the rest of Team Prime, walked over towards the bridge.

"Optimus!", Smokescreen called, "In all due respect, why are you going along with this? Who knows what is waiting for us on the other side of that portal.", the young recruit remarked.

"Knightwave has been a formidable ally, without his aid we wouldn't have discovered the location of the relics. In addition, he saved Ratchet's life, by bridging him out of harm's way. He has proven to us that he is truth worthy, and we must listen to him when he calls, for he may bare important news, regarding the Decepticons.", the Prime explained.

"But what if, he ends up like Starscream? Betraying us under our smell receptor.", Smokescreen insisted, his voice yielding caution.

"If you feel a sense of distrust, I recommend you stay behind.", Optimus commented, walking away from the young mech, and over towards Ratchet and Bumblebee, who were ready to bridge.

"Ohh, what did you do, to make him walk off on you like that?", Arcee grinned, with her servos crossed.

"First I manage to impress him, then I say something and we're back to where we started.", the young mech sighed.

"That bad huh?", the blue femme shrugged, "A word of advice Smoke, in times of war, it is best to keep some things to yourself. We're dealing with a potential ally, who is on the enemy's side, he's risking his own spark, to make sure we win this war. We should respect him, and not doubt him.", Arcee informed, which made Smokescreen facepalm.

"I really screwed up didn't I…", he sighed.

"Don't worry about it, you're new here, and besides Optimus is kinda known for giving disrespecting bots the cold shoulder.", Arcee nudged, making Smokescreen grin.

"Lesson learned, never make a Prime mad.", Smokescreen chuckled.

"Well since you're stuck here, I might as well teach you how to work the ground bridge.", the blue femme implied, walking over towards the controls.

"I've used these before, but this model looks as if it were improvised.", the young mech stated.

"Yeah, Ratchet was the one who designed this, using whatever Earth-Based technology was compatible with our tech.", she explained.

"That's cool and all, but how does it work?", he asked.

"Well but using the coordinates, provided by Knightwave, we can locate his current position anywhere on planet Earth, and once locked on, we could set the bridge's destination.", the blue femme informed, as the monitor locked onto the location, which seemed to be a remote location in South America.

"Whoa, this planet is bigger than I thought.", Smokescreen chuckled.

With a slight scoff, "Really… you've still got a lot to learn kid.", she sighed, opening the ground bridge.

"Arcee, keep in close contact, we will be having our coms on LIVE, so you could record, and document the conversation.", Optimus informed.

Arcee simply nodded in response, and with that the trio of mechs walked through the portal, awaiting what is instore for them, on the other side.

"Ok Smoke, lets begin with some basic Earth knowledge.", the blue femme smirked, which caused the young recruit to rub the back of his helm.

 _{This is gonna be a long night….},_ he thought.

* * *

 _ **{Remote South America location}**_

The full moon was looming high in the obsidian sky, it's ominous blue glow beamed down on what seemed to be an abandoned dig site. The area was void of tall trees, and was littered with old carts, and debris from, long since covered, TNT explosions. Suddenly, breaking the silence, a green vortex opened up, it began to hiss as the group of three mechs, walked out, surveying the area.

"Are these the correct coordinates, provided by Knightwave?", Optimus asked, looking around at the abandoned area.

"I believe so, give there are no humans around, gives me the impression that he understands, that we don't want to be discovered.", Ratchet pointed out.

"You hit the nail on the head, Doctor.", a voice echoed from one of the mines, "And I see you brought company… I guess that was my fault, I was kind of in a hurry to talk to you… and I'm also on a time limit, before I get caught.", Knightwave's voice echoed.

"Knightwave, I believe that you wish to speak to us?", Optimus questioned.

"Well, I wanted to talk to Ratchet, but I'll settle with talking to you.", he responded, emerging from the tunnel, and revealing himself to the Autobots.

*Bweee doioioioioioioo dweee dooo!*, Bumblebee buzzed.

"Your observation is correct, and unfortunately I am.", the purple seeker sighed.

"I read into your profile, and it stated that you were deactivated, before the war started to uprise, is that true?", the Prime asked.

"Your research is commendable, and yes I was deactivated eons ago… and since then I vowed that I'd end this war, and help revive Cybertron, to its former glory.", Knightwave stated.

"See, what did I tell you Optimus, he's on our side.", Ratchet remarked.

"Ratchet is correct, I may be branded with the Decepticon insignia, but I do not follow their beliefs.", the purple seeker stated.

"Your valor to be true to your beliefs, is very rare these days, however I am also intrigued on how you are online, after being deactivated. Also, Ratchet has speculation, that you and Tap-Out have become one.", Optimus implied.

With a sigh, "Indeed we are fused by spark, and melded into one frame, however the part about how I am still online, is something you'll have to read about on your own.", the purple seeker remarked, "The main reason I called you out here, was to exchange information, I give you my research (though incomplete) about the process of reviving the deactivated, and the theory of Tethered Sparks, and you in return provided me whatever research you have regarding that of synthetic energon.", Knightwave bargained.

"Yes, yes I remember that you wanted information regarding that of Synthetic Energon, but why does it have any interest to you?", Ratchet questioned.

"To simply further my research, in the resurrection process. I believe that being able to create artificial fuel, will be the key in unlocking a way to fully revive the deactivated, however I lack any complete knowledge regarding Synth-En.", the purple seeker explained.

"I see, well I was prepared for something like this, and have compiled all that I know, into this datacard, and I believe that exchanging incomplete data, for incomplete data, is a fair deal.", the old medic remarked, handing over his datacard, for that of Knightwave's.

"Is that all you needed?", Optimus asked.

Nodding, "Yes, all I needed to make was a fair deal, also whatever I discover, I'll make sure inform you of any discoveries.", Knightwave replied.

"And I'll do the same, in the sake that of what you're saying is true, then we could potentially revive Cybertron, including those who perished.", the old doctor acknowledged.

"Then I should take my leave.", the purple mech bowed, but then he stopped, "Optimus, Tap-Out would like to have a word this you, if you'd let her.", he paused.

"It has come to my attention, that she was once a fellow Autobot, a field medic who was present during that of both the attack on Tyger Pax, and the assault on Iacon. Therefore, she has earned more than enough credibility, to keep her as a trustworthy ally.", the Prime stated.

Understanding that what he said, was a long version for 'Yes', Knightwave then let Tap-Out take control. Within that instant, the purple seeker that once stood before the three mechs, suddenly changed to that of a crimson femme, whose frame looked very similar to that of Knightwave's, except it was more feminine.

"Thank you Optimus, for still having faith in me.", the crimson femme spoke, her violet optics shining with respect.

Putting a large servo on her shoulder, "You have earned your place, as a member of the Autobot cause, when you fought during the war, and you still show valor by helping us in the time of need. There is no reason for you to feel nervous.", Optimus grinned.

"But I feel so guilty about what happened… I should've been one with the Allspark, but I still walk among you, as if I never perished…", she uttered.

"You shouldn't feel guilty about something you couldn't control, you're here for a reason, and the day you find out, you'll be proud to know that completed your task.", the Prime foretold.

Walking up to the crimson femme, "Tap-Out, I apologize for the way I reacted back on the Harbinger, it was out of line for me to assume that someone like you, could betray us… to betray my trust…", Ratchet spoke, his voice holding a sorrow.

"Apology accepted, I could never be mad at you, you old bot.", Tap-Out laughed, which in turn made the old doctor feel as if a great weight had been lifted.

"Thank you.", Ratchet smiled, brightly.

*Bweeee didioioioio dweee?*, Bumblebee buzzed.

"What do you mean that this is the first time you've ever seen Ratchet smile?", Tap-Out asked, which immediately made the smile, on the old bot's face, turn into a stern look, causing Bee to shrug.

"Deny all you want Bumblebee, there is wrench back at base, that has your name all over it.", the old doctor murmured.

With a slight giggle, "Same old, same old I guess… but I better get going, Knightwave was only given 2 cycles for power down, the 'Cons have him working on reviving Dreadwing, and Megatron is only giving him two solar cycles to complete the procedure.", she informed.

"Reviving Dreadwing?", Optimus questioned, his blue optics flashing with concern, "How is that even possible?", he gasped.

"Believe it or not, that seeker is still kicking, his spark was still operational, while his frame was totally scrapped. Knightwave speculates it has to deal with Starscream not being deactivated, you could find the research about it in the files he gave you.", Tap-Out explained.

Putting a servo over his chin, "In a matter of fact, Starscream is still online, with what seems to be two cloned copies of himself, acting as his former trine.", the old doctor implied, "He said that he found them aboard the Harbinger… but they seem to act differently than him, as if they have a mind of their own.", he added.

 _{Impossible, there were two more protoforms aboard the Harbinger? Tap-Out I don't want you to engage in an more to this conversation, we need to get back aboard the Nemesis, inform the Autobots, that we will continue this conversion, in another time.},_ Knightwave spoke.

"What seems to be the issue?", Optimus asked, noticing that the crimson femme was zoned out.

"My apologies, but I have to cut this conversation short, time isn't on my side, we'll have to continue this conversation in another time.", Tap-Out announced.

"Let me guess, you and Knightwave can communicate, due to you two sharing one processor?", Ratchet asked.

"You are correct, but I… we should get going.", she replied, opening up an ground bridge.

"When should we expect to see you again?", Optimus questioned.

"In due time Optimus… in due time.", she sighed, before waving and entering the portal.

Once the portal closed, Optimus looked over towards Ratchet, "You've done an honorable act today, forgiveness is one of the hardest things to do.", the Prime smiled.

"I know… I know… I was better off apologizing, than holding onto false accusations.", Ratchet admitted.

"Nonetheless, you have successfully made an ally that shows more honor, than any Cybertronian I've encountered. Knightwave is risking, not only his life, but that of Tap-Out's, so that Cybertron could be revived, and that research he has given you, is the key to it's revival.", Optimus acknowledged.

"I hope so too, Optimus. This could potentially mark the beginning of renewal, the beginning of the revival of Cybertron, and all those who have perished!", Ratchet exclaimed, feeling his spark pulse with excitement.

"Arcee, open up the ground bridge.", Optimus announced.

"You got it Optimus.", Arcee replied, with a big grin on her face, for she and Smokescreen had been listening close to the conversation.

However, when the Autobots departed, a black and purple jet could be seen flying off, taking to the skies.

* * *

 **{The Nemesis}**

"Oh look who has finally returned, from his little nap.", Knock-Out bellowed, looking quite annoyed, since he had to deal with Soundwave for 2 cycles, which felt like forever.

However, Knightwave didn't respond, and walked over towards his work station, and began to examine both spark chamber, and processor, for any bypassed imperfections.

"Alright, I can clearly seen that you've woke up, on the wrong side of the berth.", the red mech commented, "Soundwave are you finished with the helm? We're limited on time, and it would be excellent news if its done.", he added.

Soundwave who happened to have been working on Dreadwing's new helm, which almost looked like a mix of his original and that of the ancient warrior Cyclonus', walked away from his station, and placed the helm down in front of the purple seeker.

"I'm busy.", Knightwave mumbled, as he examined the processor.

"Soundwave, I am in charge of the framework, not Knightwave.", the red doctor called, waving the silent mech over to him.

[Statement: You were not in power down.], the silent mech transmitted, [Question: Where were you.], Soundwave looked down at Knightwave, his visor showing a recorded video feed, of Knock-Out's private quarters, where the purple seeker should have been in power down.

"I don't answer to 'robots'.", Knightwave whispered, his tone sounding a bit mocking.

With a slight helm twitch, Soundwave picked up Dreadwing's helm, and walked over towards Knock-Out, who was waiting with his servos on his hips. The silent mech handed over the finished helm, over to Knock-Out, who examined, Soundwave's craftsmanship.

"Nicely done, I commend you. Though the color you mixed, could've been better.", the red doctor implied, "It hardly matches the rest of the upper frame, but it shouldn't take too long to fix… Soundwave you should get to work on the skirt plates, while I fix this little inconvenience… in a matter of fact, just keep them in their raw base color, while I do all the paint work.", he informed.

In response, Soundwave just simply nodded his helm, and slowly walked back towards the armor station, and began to work off the schematics Knock-Out developed. Knightwave who finally put the final touches on both, spark chamber, and processor, decided that he wanted to install the processor first, and walked over towards Dreadwing's half finish frame.

"Sp what's crawled up your tailpipe, and died?", Knock-Out asked, while he was sanding some of the discolored paint off, the helm.

"Nothing that should cause any concern to you, the main thing we should be focusing on his reviving Dreadwing.", Knightwave remarked.

"I get it, deadlines, deadlines, deadlines… the pressure is real. If I had a Shanix for every time, I was forced to do something in a short amount of time, I'd be rich enough that I could own a whole complex of fast cars, with exquisite finishes.", Knock-Out chimed.

"Too bad our currency is now considered worthless… but not for long.", the purple seeker remarked.

"So… any luck in fully unraveling the secrets of reviving the deactivated?", the red doctor asked.

"Not yet, but I believe that in due time, the truth will make itself known, but until then we must be patient, and don't stop believing.", Knightwave stated.

"I think I heard this Earth song once, on the radio, that uses that phrase…. It was pretty good.", Knock-Out shrugged, only for him to get a blank stare from the purple seeker, "What? It was a catchy song.", the red mech remarked, with a cocky grin, only for him to turn around and start humming a tune.

* * *

 **{Meanwhile-Unknown cave}**

The silver seeker sat impassively while the Red Energon was filtering for refinement, however the speed of the refinement was really slow. Starscream wasn't expecting it be this slow, which made him wonder if at this pace, he'd get anything done. However, the sound of Skywarp's jet engines, caught his attention, for not too long ago he reported sighting ground bridge portals, while on patrol.

"Skywarp, anything to report?!", the silver seeker shouted, not even getting up from his stone seat.

Within that instance, the sound of heavy pedes could be heard, as the familiar sound of a transformation echoed throughout the cave, "Yes my Liege, I've discovered something rather interesting.", Skywarp remarked, walking into the room.

"Well, out with it…", Starscream paused only to notice that the purple clone, had changed his alt mode, once again, "Grr, why do you insist on changing your alt mode? That aircraft you scanned, makes you look like those wrecked flying pests, that litter this cave.", he bellowed.

"When I was looking through the internet, I found this model of stealth aircraft rather stunning, so I tracked one down and scanned it.", Skywarp grinned, checking out his new frame, "And to be completely honest, it looks way better on me, than the other one.", he implied.

"Would you stop you senseless babbling, and tell me want you saw!", Starscream demanded, {Blast, you're more annoying than Knock-Out…but a clone... of me}, he thought, rolling his optics.

With a shrug, "Well on my way back, I flew over that abandoned mine, and to my surprise I spotted a ground bridge open, and not soon after another one opened, but this time I spotted the Autobots.", the clone informed.

"Wait, who came out of the first one?", Starscream asked.

"I didn't get a good glimpse at first, but when I landed to get a better view, it looked like a masked seeker, similar to that of Soundwave. By my observation, I believe they were trading information.", Skywarp replied, a sly grin on his scared faceplate, no thanks to his master's punishment.

"How interesting, the Autobots are still making deals with the Decepticons. My my my, I wonder what their up to.", the silver seeker grinned, devilishly.

* * *

 **{2 days later- Autobots}**

"Ugh… why are there so many rules, about driving! If humans didn't want me driving over 55, then why did they design my vehicle form's gauge to go pass 200?", Smokescreen complained, as he sat down on a crate, while Arcee was giving him an extensive driving laws lecture.

"Because you had to pick a high performance v-mode, didn't you, and just like Cybertron, Earth has rules that everyone, has to follow.", Arcee crossed her arms, as she tried to explain everything she knew about driver's safety.

"Come on Cee, just let me out and drive already, I won't be able to learn anything, unless I'm actually out there.", the young mech insisted.

"Look Smoke, I'd take you out myself, if it weren't for my injury, but once the kids are out of school, we'll see about having one of them take you out.", Arcee remarked, "However, until then I want you to recite what I've taught you, only the basics.", she added.

"Red means stop, green means go, yellow means yield, or slow down. The red hexagons that say 'Stop', means full stop, and you can turn left, when the light is red, as long as you yield before you turn… is that good?", Smokescreen asked, feeling that there are too many rules.

"You pretty much mastered everything, but remember you must always follow the speed limit, if the sign says 55, you drive 55.", the blue femme said sternly, making sure the white mech understood.

"Yeah yeah, I'll try my best to resist speeding… and when I say try, I'll try.", he grinned.

"Good enough for me, as long as you don't do anything to upset the law, or try to cut off any old people, then you'd be fine.", Arcee dismissed, walking over towards the energon storage, and picking out two cubes, of the refined liquid.

"So how long do you think Optimus and Ratchet will take, to finish analyzing that data Knightwave gave them?", Smoke asked, as Arcee handed him a cube.

"Beats me, Bumblebee said that the data was Terabytes long.", Arcee shrugged, drinking the energon.

"Speaking of Bee… I don't think he likes me much, this morning when he went out for recon, I asked to come along, and he just blow me off, and drove away.", Smokescreen sighed.

"We've been through a lot, before you got here… about a week and a half ago, one of our closest friends was deactivated, and ever since then, nothing has been the same.", Arcee mourned.

"Yeah, I heard… Bulkhead right? Miko and I, had a long chat on our way to the dealership, where I found my v-mode… when she talked about him, I could hear in her voice, how much she misses him.", the young mech sighed, not even taking a sip of his energon.

"So you and Miko have been talking? Good… she needs someone who listens, and I'm happy that she chose you.", Arcee smiled, "For being a recruit, you show a lot of promise.", the blue femme reassured, "But the case with Bee, I believe that he feels that you still have a lot to learn, and he's just being hard on you, so you learn how work in an environment where, others are disapproving.", she speculated.

"Fair point… but do you think it has to deal with when I commented on how cool his voice sounded?", Smoke asked.

"That could be it… he hates it when others talk about his voice.", Arcee nodded.

"Why does he hate it?", he questioned.

"Long story short, during the battle of Tyger Pax, Megatron was in the process of interrogating Bee, who refused to talk, so in response to Bee's defiance, Megatron severely damaged him, along with his voice box.", Arcee informed, feeling a tinge of sorrow of her friend.

"Ah poor guy, if I knew anything about what happened to him, maybe I wouldn't have said anything, that could have offended him.", the white mech sighed, hitting the palm of his right servo against his forehead.

"No need to beat yourself up, over a simple misunderstanding. The best thing you can do is give him some space, and he'll eventually realize that you meant not disrespect.", Arcee patted Smoke on the back.

"I sure hope so, 'cause I'm itching to test out my new set of wheels, and Bee's v-mode looks like it could go 0 to 60 in 3 seconds.", Smokescreen grinned.

With a smirk, "Miko sure picked out an interesting car, and with those screaming 38s, I bet Bee couldn't help but take you on.", Arcee nudged the young mech.

"Yeah but the thing is… I don't want to race him here… I-I want to race him on Cybertron…", Smoke admitted.

"I understand how you feel, but I know that one day we'll be able to return, and restore our home… revive it from deactivation.", the blue femme sighed.

"But we were given the opportunity, to do just that! Remember that data that 'Con gave us? If his research is the real deal, then we have the power to revive our home, and every bot who fell during the war!", Smokescreen exclaimed, his blue optics blaring neon.

"Whoa, slow down there Smokey, the research is still incomplete and-", Arcee spoke, before being cut off.

"But didn't you hear? That creep in the mask said that he was reviving Dreadwing, and by what you said, that 'Con was also deactivated, but somehow is online again, who is also fused with this Tap-Out femme-", the young mech implied.

"I know what I said, but we are still in the dark when it comes to understanding the extent what's going on. The only thing we can do, is go along with whatever is happening, and hope nothing…", Arcee paused, as she noticed Ratchet and Optimus emerging from the hallway, both with the expression of distraught, "Ratchet? Optimus? What wrong? Did you finish looking over the data Knightwave gave you?", she asked, her voice filled with concern.

With an angered expression, written on his seldom faceplate, "That research is beyond dark, it dives in the forgotten history of the Primes, extracting its overall concept from the ancient artifact known as the Emberstone…", Optimus informed, his blue optics glowing dim.

"What do you mean, what is this 'Emberstone'?", Smokescreen asked, obviously confused.

"What Optimus is trying to say, is that after combining all the research into one collective, we were able to see an almost near complete rendition of the ancient artifact known as the Emberstone, which once belonged to that of Quintus Prime…", Ratchet explained.

"Wait does this data show how to create this 'Emberstone', or where to find it?", Arcee asked, her pink and blue optics fluttering.

"Unfortunately… the data is still incomplete, it's like a puzzle, and without the missing pieces, we are unable to full render the entirety of the research.", the old doctor implied.

"So wait, there is still more data that needs to be recovered? I thought that 'Con gave you guys everything?", Smokescreen questioned.

With a sigh, "Knightwave left a message, embedded within the research, admitting that he doesn't fully understand the data. Rigor Mortis, was in the process of compiling the data herself, before she was deactivated… without her insight, he doesn't know how many more data fragments remain.", Ratchet remarked.

"So this Rigor Mortis, was responsible for the research, but scattered it and tried to reform it, but why?", Arcee asked.

"That is a question we do not have the answer to.", Optimus admitted, "The only thing we can do is try, and figure out how to recreate the missing research, by fulling understanding whatever data we have now.", he concluded.

"But you just said that this research was 'dark'? Why is that?", Smokescreen queried.

"It is considered 'dark', because this practice requires the deactivated as experiments…", Ratchet shuddered.

"You mean the desiccation of the dead?! But- but that's considered a taboo!", the young mech exclaimed, "Alpha Trion told me stories about something like this.", he added, trying to recall what the old bot told him… or what he overheard.

"My mentor was right, to fear this kind of research, but if it holds the secrets of the Emberstone, then we should take it into consideration… no matter how taboo it may be…", Optimus sighed, knowing that the only way to fully understand the research, was by performing the taboo itself.

"Optimus, in all due respect, what does this 'Emberstone' do anyways?", Arcee asked, as Smokescreen nodding his helm, for he too had no idea what it does as well.

"The Emberstone has the ability to create life, similar to that of the Allspark, when used property, it could speed up the process of life itself.", Optimus informed, "Therefore, once combined with that of our planet's core, it could indefinitely cause a chain reaction, and revive our planet.", the Prime foretold.

"But what about the Allspark? Doesn't it too have the ability to revive Cybertron?", Arcee asked.

"Indeed it does, but if we manage to combine both the Emberstone and the Allspark's power, we could potentially revive our planet to the point where we could start recolonization.", Optimus remarked.

"It's a necessary evil… but if it's is the only way to revive our planet, to its former glory, then we should take this risk.", Ratchet implied.

"Uh… I don't know you guys, Alpha Trion mentioned that 'playing god' could only lead to more trouble… is that a risk you are willing to take?", the young mech asked, nervously, obviously afraid of dangers that follow.

"Smokescreen, I understand your concern, but we take risks everyday, risks that could not only put or lives at in danger, but those of the humans.", the Prime responded, "However, if we manage to complete this research and find a way to rebuild Cybertron, we could take this conflict back to where it began, and end it once and for all. If you require my attention, I'll be in my private quarters.", Optimus concluded, walking back towards the hallway.

Looking at the young mech, with worried optics, "Hey Smoke, you alright? You seem pretty set on your opinions, regarding the revival of Cybertron?", Arcee asked, which caused Ratchet to give him a similar look of worry.

"And very worried about it as well.", Ratchet added.

"I-I just have a bad feeling that's all… like something isn't right…", the young mech sighed, causing both Arcee and Ratchet to give him a confused look.

Putting a servo on Smokescreen's shoulder, "I understand your concern, this research is taboo…", the old doctor paused, "But if Optimus believes that we could use this, to revive our home, then we should keep moving forward.", Ratchet sighed, walking away, and headed towards his private quarters.

Turning around to watch as the old mech vanished into the hallway, Smokescreen stood still, his blue neon blue optics dimmed to a gloomy color. He couldn't help but feel as if something horrible was going to happen, something that could potentially change the course of this conflict, but he is lost. Lost in the multitude of outcomes, and doesn't know of what he is feeling is just fear, or just apart of his imagination.

"Hey!", Arcee spoke up, snapping the young mech out if his thoughts, "We should give Bee a call, it's almost time for the kids to get out of school, it Friday after all.", she smiled.

"Uh sure, I'll meet you by the com-link.", he responded, taking one last look at the hallway, before turning back around and walking towards the blue femme.

* * *

 **{Meanwhile- The Nemesis}**

The med bay's atmosphere was in a solid gloom, the dim lights casted dark shadows, while the sound of medical equipment filled the air with ambient sound. Suddenly, shaking the still air, the double automatic doors slide open, and from the dark hallways emerged Megatron, with his sharp servos behind his back.

Behind the gunmetal warlord, was Knock- Out and Knightwave, walking side by side, and following from behind was Soundwave. Megatron came to halt in front of a tarped figure, laying on a metal berth, that was surrounded by a multitude of equipment.

"Is the patient ready for the final phase of the procedure?", Megatron asked, with a serious expression.

"Yes Lord Megatron, we have finished ahead of schedule, I believe you'll be pleased with the final outcome.", the purple seeker bowed, "Knock-Out would you please show our master, your handy work.", Knightwave gestured at the tarped figure.

"Why yes, my liege, I must say this has to be one of my finest body works, yet.", the red mech grinned, pulling off the tarp, revealing Dreadwing's new frame, "Just look at that finish.", he gawked, his red ring optics gleaming at the maroonish-purple sheen.

"Soundwave informed me about your plan to make Dreadwing a frame, but I never thought you'd go as far as making him look like, that of Cyclonus… how intriguing…", Megatron commented, putting a servo on his chin, as he gazed upon an almost exact copy of the great warrior.

"It was necessary for us to change his appearance, the combination of his CNA and that of the Starscream protoform, prevented us from recreating his original frame.", Knightwave explained.

"I still don't see your point, changing one's appearance this drastically could only lead to confusion.", the gunmetal warlord remarked.

"Precisely, if you're brought back from deactivation, it's better off that you are left confused, because once it passes, it'll be a lot easier to accept what you've become... rather thinking about who you were…", the purple seeker sighed.

"To make you, a better you.", Knock-Out chimed, as he opened up Dreadwing's chest plate, revealing his new spark chamber.

"I still fail to see your point, however I for one believe that having a Second in Command, that looks as fearsome as this… would fair mighty well among our ranks.", Megatron praised, "Now doctor, would you mind and begin with the operation.", Megatron implied.

"Of course my liege.", Knightwave bowed, activating a strange device, that hung over Dreadwing's spark chamber.

The device looked like a claw type tool, with many cables that formed a circular shape, around a glowing center, which began to hum, with the sound of high voltage. The unknown device was connected to a vat of energon, creating a more powerful charge, that caused the cables to start moving, in an organic fashion. Megatron's red optics glew with excitement, as he gazed upon the charging rod, whose many cables began to attach themselves to the spark chamber.

An eerie amber glow began to emanate from the center of the device, that was aimed directly over the spark, its pulsing sound echoed throughout the med bay. Then, in a burst of violent light, the machine quaked, releasing its charged powering into the chamber, shocking the dormant spark back to life.

As the still frame started to thrash around, a massive grin was ripped across Megatron's faceplate, his spiked dental reflecting the amber light, giving him an evil glow. Then, the warlord began to laugh, while he glared vigorously at the now activated spark, his red optics glowing with pure excitement. Suddenly, the machine stopped, and the device hanging over the spark chamber, released its grip, and Knock-Out moved it to the side, his red ringed optics filled with shock. A small wisp of smoke, emitted from the glowing spark chamber, revealing the now active spark.

"I-is-is he?", Knock-Out muttered, looking down at the still frame.

Within that instant, one of Dreadwing's new silver servos began to move, digging its claw-like digits into the metal berth. Not even moments later, the distinct rumble of vents could be heard, as Dreadwing's remodeled chassis started to rise, and fall. With a sinister chuckle, Megatron slowly walked over towards, the now online Dreadwing, whose solid red optics began to flicker on. Knightwave watched idly by, as the gunmetal warlord grinned, at semi-conscience seeker, looming over the revived SIC, like a vulture.

"He's alive.", Megatron chuckled, his red optics flaring with each vent.

* * *

 **End of Chapter Notes:** ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ _Man my dudes... I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, and like I say almost every time, I also enjoyed reading it over, and fixing mistakes! And here's the funny past, I'm gonna keep on doing it, I'm like Santa, there will be no naughty spelling errors, or bad grammar, so way, so how, and no why. Just giving you guys a heads up {AGAIN} I do in fact edit my other chapters, cuz I like to add stuff, and fix over looked errors, and of you guys notice anything, please inform me, I like the help! Other than the usual stuff I talk about in every end notes, I hope you guys liked this chapter, and **Thank You for reading!**! I hope to catch you guys in the next chapter, and I believe that it's longer than this chapter, cuz I combined two into one... yeah so expect an interesting chapter coming soon!_

 _PS:...by 'Coming Soon' I mean kinda like a week or so... maybe a little bit more than a week, I still got a lot of rewriting and editing for the next chapter, but I will try to post it ASAP... don't get mad if it takes longer than a week... I just need a break from typing from time to time... :P_


	17. TFP: Sparkless Ch17: Legend

**Disclaimer** **:** _I do not own any of the Transformers characters in the TFP series, nor do I claim ownership of any_ _kind towards anything trademarked. This story is just for fun, and isn't connected towards the true lore behind the franchise. The only things I own are the OCs._

 _ **An Update** _**note:** _Hey there! Like always, this chapter took a lot of time to copy from my notebook, mainly because the pencil I used wasn't meant for writing... yeah I thought that I used pen, but this chapter ended up all smeared. HOWEVER! I managed to type it all up... nonetheless if I missed any grammar errors, or miss spelled words, or the usual wrong word, then it will be adjusted, once I re-read it another 5 times, after it is posted... so thanks for reading my fanfic this far, and I hope you enjoy this chapter... well Episode... since it's basically written like an episode... [-_-] enjoy chapter/episode 17_

* * *

 **Chapter 17: Legend**

{Previously}

"I-is-is he?", Knock-Out muttered, looking down at the still frame.

Within that instant, one of Dreadwing's new silver servos began to move, digging its claw like digits into the metal berth. Not even moments later, the distinct rumble of vents could be heard, as Dreadwing's remodeled chassis started to rise, and fall. With a sinister chuckle, Megatron slowly walked over towards, the now online Dreadwing, whose solid red optics began to flicker on. Knightwave watched idly by, as the gunmetal warlord grinned, at semi-conscience seeker, looming over the revived SIC, like a vulture.

"He's alive.", Megatron chuckled, his red optics flaring with each vent.

* * *

The feeling could only be described as empty, voices sounded like distorted stifles, while vision was more like blurred lights. Within Dreadwing's mind was a battlefield, as streams of memories began to flood back into his processors, his drives working extra hard to sum everything together.

 _{Wha…}_ , he vented, as he blinked his optics, _{Where am I? Is this what it feels like to be one with the-... No I'm not-... What is this-...}_ , he thought, looking around, as his vision began to improve.

When his vision fully rendered, the only face that he slow, glaring down on him, was that of Megatron's. The warlord's menacing grin, looked even more sinister, with the amber glow of Dreadwing's open spark chamber. That was when the remodeled seeker knew, that he had failed to be one with the Allspark, for he should have perished, and joined his brother, Skyquake, in the Allspark.

"W-where am I?", Dreadwing questioned, his voice sounding weak.

Within Knightwave's mind, {He's- he's actually online!}, Tap-Out gasped, her voice echoing through the shared processor.

Shaking his helm slightly, "You are aboard the Nemesis' med bay, don't you recall anything before your… demise?", Megatron spoke, his tone hold a ting of slyness.

"S-so I did perish… but why am I…", the SIC paused, noticing Knightwave, who stood silently behind the Warlord. Lifting a servo, Dreadwing pointed at the purple seeker, "Y-you brought me back… how...why...", he vent, his tone sounding weak.

"You should be thanking your doctor Dreadwing, for it was his research of spark revival, that made it possible to wake you from purgatory.", Megatron implied.

"What is this 'purgatory' you speak of?", Dreadwing questioned, his red optics slightly dimmed.

Looking over at Knightwave, "Would you mind giving your patient the explanation? Or should I, good doctor?", Megatron grinned.

With a slight sigh, "Your spark was was online, when Megatron found your deactivated frame… this only occurs when Primus refuses to let our essence enter the Allspark, thus putting our spark into suspended purgatory… a void that could only be described as nothing…", Knightwave informed, his voice holding a hollowed tone.

"Why would Primus... deny me? At least sending me... to the Pits, would've been a better... alternative.", the revived mech vented, each word sounding like it took awhile for him to processes.

Knowing that all optics were on him, "Rigor Mortis came up with a theory, she believed that if a spark was denied entry into the Allspark, then Primus himself deemed us unworthy, and that this is his way of giving us a second chance at redemption. A second chance to make things right… to fulfill our destiny.", he explained.

That was when Dreadwing's new red optics began to light up, as they shook with realization, "I- I failed to deactivate Starscream…", he uttered.

"So that's how you truly perished? You decided to go against my orders, and try to deactivate my former Second-In-Command, and failed your attempt to not only offline him, but also yourself.", Megatron sneered, crossing his servos, "Primus has a twisted mind, one that I never thought I'd see a result of.", he chuckled, "Now everything makes sense.", he grinned, looking over at the Purple seeker.

The room was silent, as the warlord grinned both Knightwave, and Dreadwing. Soundwave however, felt something stir inside of himself, something that made his servos ball into fists. The silent mech could still recall in explicit detail, the moment he deactivated his brother, and the solar cycles that followed his demise… these memories made him feel his emotions flood back into his processor, and just that feeling of them, made him sick. Megatron was right, Primus does have a twisted mind, and he knew which mechs/femmes to keep online.

"Soundwave!", Megatron exclaimed, snapping the silent mech out of his thoughts, "I said head back to your post, and finish decoding the next set of coordinates.", he demanded.

With a slight nod, Soundwave slowly turned around and walked out of the med bay, "And as for the rest of you.", the gunmetal warlord began, "I want Dreadwing to be at peak performance, by the end of this solar cycle, and a full progress report about his diagnosis. Do I make myself clear?", he commanded.

"As clear as shattered glass.", Knightwave responded, in monotone. With a slight growl, the warlord turned around, and exited the med bay, his thunderous pedes, could still be heard, pounding against the metal floor.

* * *

 **{Meanwhile- Autobots}**

The Autobot base, was silent, even though the kids were there, the main room held a still feeling. Optimus and Ratchet were still in their private quarters, Bumblebee was watching Raf and Jack play a racing game, while Arcee was at the monitors, observing Smokescreen's progress. On the other end of the monitor, was Miko sitting in the driver's side, as she directed the young mech, through the town of Jasper. The only good thing was, she wasn't speeding through the town like some crazed stunt driver.

"You know, this driving 'the speed limit' thing, kinda gets boring after a while.", Smokescreen complained.

"Yeah, but it's how things work here on Earth… except in a few places…", Miko grinned.

[Oh no, you guys aren't going to anywhere. Stay the course, and come back to base.], Arcee's voice buzzed from the com-link.

"Wow, you're such a mom Arcee, and I wasn't talking about any public places.", Miko pouted, "I was just about to mention, this abandoned airport, just on beyond the edge of town.", she implied.

"What's an airport?", Smoke asked, hoping for an answer.

[I know the one, we took Bee out there, for some training one time… go ahead…], Arcee sighed.

"Oh yeah! We could really test out your speed there Smokey!", Miko cheered, "Here, let me punch in those coordinates!", she smiled, getting onto the GPS and typing in the address, "There isn't much of an address, but I know there is this small gas station, near the airport.", she added.

"But seriously, what's an airport?", he asked again.

"Start driving, and I'll explain on the way.", Miko implied.

"You got it, teach.", Smoke remarked.

"Hu.. 'Teach', I like that.", the teen mumbled, to herself.

* * *

 **{Meanwhile- Med bay}**

In a separate room, next to the med bay, "Motor Functions seem to be nominal, core processor is running at optimal efficiency, and spark operations look as if they are working smoothly. Overall, Dreadwing his at his peak.", Knock-Out reported, displaying the revived SIC's states, on a monitor screen.

"Hm… run the diagnostics again…", Knightwave sighed, looking Dreadwing, from across the room, as if analyzing him.

"Seriously? We've ran this test many times over, can we at least call it, and start working on our other project?", Knock-Out implied, tilting his helm over towards the tarped Breakdown, however the purple seeker didn't answer, "Look, I know that we were forced to work on a tight schedule, but he's online now, we didn't find anything wrong in the last 5 diagnostic tests, and I doubt checking him another 5 times, will show any substantial changes.", he remarked, crossing his servos.

With a scoff, and a displeased optic roll, "Why are you just staring at him? He hasn't even moved, from that berth since we revived him.", Knock-Out pointed out, "And need I remind you, that was 2 cycles ago, and Megatron demands him to be up and ready by tonight.", he added.

Rotating his visored helm, to look at the red doctor, "That's none of my concern… Dreadwing is actually showing improvement, despite his refusal to move. What puzzles me is why the diagnostics aren't showing any complete spark pulse feedback… I think one of the central cables are loose, and the sensors aren't picking up the anomaly.", Knightwave finally remarked, putting a servo on his chin.

"Then why don't you go check yourself?", the red mech questioned.

"We need to give him some time alone, it helps when trying to calm the processor… some of us didn't get that satisfaction.", the purple seeker implied.

"Well, I can't imagine how it feels to be in Purgatory, nor do I enjoy being disciplined by Megatron… so I suggest that we give Dreadwing a full physical diagnostic test, and get him ready for whatever Megatron has in store for him.", Knock-Out shrugged, "The faster we get through him, the faster we could start working on Breakdown.", he implied.

"Of course, reviving your conjux is an addition to our deal, however I do lack a full understanding of reviving a spark that wasn't trapped in Purgatory. For, after a full analysis, Breakdown has passed on.", Knightwave remarked, his visor displaying an image of the blue wrecker's spark analysis.

"What! You said that you could- that you WILL revive him! That was our deal!", Knock-Out snapped, his optics flaring.

"Yes that was in our deal, but remember Rigor Mortis' research is still incomplete, without the full rendition, who knows what would happen if we try to revive him.", the purple seeker responded, his tone sounding as if he was resisting his aggression.

"Then tell me Knightwave, what of my sister? How are you two supposed to separate? Where's the research on that? In deep space, or lost in some energon mine?", the red mech questioned, his tone holding a ting of sarcasm.

Lifting up his visor, and revealing his neon violet optics, "Look dirtkisser, I'm trying okay. I'm trying my best to end this war, not only that, but to help not only you, but that also includes others who need it. I don't know why I feel the way I do, but I know that somethings are better off done, than said.", Knightwave remarked, "I will revive not only your sister, but all those who perished during the war, I don't know how, but I will find a way.", he finished.

"Bravo, someone who actually cares… unlike you I have my own agenda, and that includes getting Dreadwing out of my med bay, and if you'd like, you can join him.", Knock-Out scolded, walking out of the room.

 _{That could've ended better…},_ Tap-Out sighed, watching her brother walk away, through Knightwave's optics.

"Your brother seems very troubled… including very confused. There has to be a reason for his behavior.", Knightwave commented.

 _{Ever since I could remember, he has always been like that… to be completely honest, I never thought he'd be so open, and eccentric… but also very isolated, and shallow. As a youngling, all he bragged about was how he wanted to run away and change the world, and now here he is, trying to fix what has been broken…},_ she sighed.

Closing his optics,"I can relate… back then I cared more for others, than myself… and showed more generosity than anyone… but my generosity turned on me, and I was punished for what I believed would save a many… which ended up causing more conflict… and ending the lives of many.", the purple seeker shuddered.

 _{What do you mean?},_ Tap-Out asked.

"At the start of the conflict, that soon arose into the war, I was stationed as a guard at a high security prison, in Kaon… where I set a group of Autobots free…", Knightwave recalled.

 _{I overheard you and Knock-Out talking about that… but how did that spark the embers of the war?},_ she questioned.

"It was an assassination group, who went off from their patrol, in hope to deactivate Megatron… the group consisted of 4 femmes: Windblade, Firestar, Chromia, and Elita-1…", he informed.

 _{You knew Elita, before she was turned into Airachnid?},_ Tap-Out gasped.

"Yes… and I knew… the moment she stared at me… she remembered that I was the who set her free…. Her blue optics glared at me with fear… and after that, the only optics I saw, were that of malice…", he sighed, recalling when they first met, during the rescue operation, when she asked him to join the Autobots… and he said no.

 _{Why did you say 'No'?},_ she asked, her tone sounding shaken.

"Because I knew, no matter how far away I ran, my brother would always catch up to me. Our bound was too great… and I knew he felt my betrayal…", Knightwave confessed, "However, my betrayal won't stop there, I'm activating the Iacon beacon… and whatever happens, I won't say 'no' this time.", he stated, his tone holding a sense of anger.

 _{Same here, I'm with you till the end, no pun intended.}_ , Tap-Out internally smirked.

* * *

 _ **{Meanwhile- Nemesis bridge}**_

Megatron stood on his perch, staring down at a monitor screen, that was displaying a live feed of the med bay. He watch attentively, as Knock-Out preformed a physical diagnostic test, on the revived, and remodeled Dreadwing. The warlord couldn't have been more pleased, with his SIC's new appearance, for he too knew the glory behind the legend of Cyclonus.

However, he was also rather confused with that of Knightwave's behavior. He deadpanned towards the purple seeker's direction, noting that he hasn't moved since Knock-Out walked over towards his SIC. This puzzled him, knowing that whatever he is doing, it might not be of any interest to the Decepticons. Nonetheless, Megatron has had a hard time trying to decipher Knightwave's true motives, that also includes the femme, who shares the same frame.

Suddenly, snapping the gunmetal mech from his thoughts, a high pitched ping popped up on his global surveillance system. The signal was that of an Iacon relic, which caused the warlord to smile, as he looked over towards his communications chief. Soundwave who was rather surprised at the unexpected signal, walked away from his station, and strided over towards his master.

"Another Iacon beacon has made itself known to us.", Megatron mused, "I believe that it is time, to beta test our decoy.", he grinned, picking up a strange device that was resting on a counter.

* * *

 _ **{Meanwhile- Autobot base}**_

After a while, Optimus and Ratchet finally emerged from their private quarters, both looking rather distraught. Bumblebee was tasked with taking Jack and Raf back home, since they had a projects that needed to be completed, while Miko and Smokescreen were making donuts on an empty airfield.

While typing away, on the main monitor, Optimus was trying to decode another set of Iacon coordinates. The Prime seemed pretty fixated on the decoding, as if he was trying to keep his mind off things, but to no avail. Ratchet was performing a physical diagnostics test in the blue femme, just to make sure everything is completely healed.

"After some consideration… your wound seems have be completely repaired.", Ratchet diagnosed.

"About time, I thought I was gonna be cooped up here forever!", Arcee smiled, stretching her joins, and walking over towards Optimus, "Any luck in deciphering those coordinates?", she asked.

Without even looking away from the screen, "I am nearly finished decoding the next Iacon coordinates.", Optimus informed.

"Well it seems that, you'll have to put your task on hold.", Ratchet exclaimed, "The Nemesis has moved from its stationary orbit, and has entered the atmosphere.", the old doctor pointed out, as they notice the Nemesis' tracking signal moving.

"What is Megatron up to now?", Arcee questioned.

"I do not know, but this merits investigation.", Optimus implied. Then, at that moment the entire system went off, as it suddenly detected an Iacon-locator beacon.

"An Iacon-locator beacon?", Arcee questioned, putting a servo on her hips, and swaying to the side.

"Optimus, I believe that beacon is a falsified signal, meant to distract us, while Megatron goes for the real one.", Ratchet commented, " Ingenious, but also impractical, if you don't know if your enemy is watching your every move.", he grinned.

"Your insight is one to behold, Arcee call back Bumblebee to base, and inform Smokescreen to drop off Miko at her homestead.", Optimus announced.

"You got it boss.", the blue femme saluted, sprinting towards the com-link.

"Ratchet, triangulate those coordinates, and prepare to active the ground bridge, once Bumblebee and Smokescreen return.", the Prime imparted.

"Understood Optimus.", Ratchet remarked, as he zeroed in on the Nemesis' current location.

* * *

 _ **{Meanwhile- The Nemesis}**_

"In all veracity, why did you choose this 'Cyclonus' as inspiration, for my new frame?", Dreadwing asked, while both doctors were finalizing the diagnosis test.

"Simple really, the protoform we used malfunctioned, and the combination of your CNA and the blank shell, created a shape similar to that of Cyclonus, and with my amazing talent, here you are.", Knock-Out chimed, obviously happy with his handicraft.

"Is that 'malfunction' a result of mixing my CNA with that of Starscream's, I do recall you requesting the deactivated shells of the clones, to be relocated here.", the revived seeker recalled, squinting his optics in an angered fashion, at Knightwave.

"I commend you on your insightfulness, and unfortunately yes. Starscream's CNA became saturated into the protoform's overall CNA sequence, resulting in the frame to be permanently scripted with his genetic makeup.", the purple seeker explained.

"And my former frame, whatever happened to it?", Dreadwing questioned, feeling a bit insecure without the truth behind his original self.

"That's another simple question, you're wearing it.", Knock-Out said slyly, causing Knightwave to glare at the cheeky mech, "I smelted your original frame down, tempered it, and used it to create your finely crafted armor, and I must say, using real Cybertronian metal, makes all the difference.", he implied, his tone sounding cocky.

The revived SIC's red optics suddenly grew, he looked down at his armor, and felt an overwhelming feeling of pure disgust. Now everything started to feel wrong, even his energon began to run cold, as if he could feel his former self, clinging to his new form.

Then in a burst of horrifying laughter, "You really thought for a second there, didn't you? I may be a sadist, but I won't go that far!", Knock-Out chuckled, while both the SIC and Knightwave just glared at his crude humor.

"I didn't see that, as the slightest of entertaining.", the purple mech grumbled.

"Neither did I.", Dreadwing sneered, both seekers glaring at Knock-Out, who ultimately felt as if he were being threatened.

"Pff, well I'm outta here.", the red mech scoffed, walking our of the med bay, however as soon as he was about to walk out, the automatic doors slide open, revealing that of Megatron.

"Now where do you think you're going?", the warlord questioned, as he glared down at the red doctor.

"Um uh… I was just about to inform you about Dreadwing! I have his, uh Diagnosis review right here!", Knock-Out grinned, nervously.

Squinting at the nervous mech, "Hm, good, but I won't be needing it, since I could clearly see, that my SIC is standing, without any aid.", Megatron implied, looking behind the red mech, to see that the revived mech as off of the berth, and standing next to Knightwave.

"What is thy bidding, my Liege?", Dreadwing asked, kneeling down, on his new knee armor, while Knightwave just have a formal bow.

Grinning, "We have discovered the next Iacon relic, and as we speak, it is being uncovered by our ground troops, I need you down there, instructing their progress, by my side.", the warlord informed, his optics never leaving this SIC's new frame, for to his it was astonishing, how close he resembled the ancient warrior.

"As you wish.", Dreadwing responded, though his feelings towards Megatron are still shrouded with that of hate, and his spark still yearns for Starscream's deactivation.

"What about me and Knightwave, my lord?", Knock-Out asked, as he watched Dreadwing pass him, his red optics deadpanning the red mech.

"As I last recall, don't you two, have some other business to attend to?", Megatron hinted towards the berth, the deactivated frame of Breakdown was lying on.

"Do you actually mean-?", Knock-Out gleamed, before being cut off.

"-However, if I require you for anything, I expect you to drop what you are doing, and do as I command, immediately without question.", the warlord made known, his optics glaring at both Knightwave and the red doctor.

"I-I understand my Liege…", Knock-Out replied, while Knightwave just gave a simple nod.

With a sneer, Megatron looked over towards his SIC, "Come Dreadwing, we should get moving, who knows how long it will be, before the Autobots discover the relic's frequency.", he implied, before walking out of the med bay, with Dreadwing by his side.

Once the automatic doors slid shut, Knock-Out slowly whirled around, his expression was that of sardonic, as he clasping his servos in front of him, "They grow up so fast, don't they?", he grinned, only to get a scoff in response.

"Don't give me that, only I can give me that.", the red mech teased, "Please, it's not like I meant no disrespect, I'm just naturally cynical.", he chimed.

Immediately jerking his helm towards Knock-Out, "You call mocking one's own existence being 'cynical'?!", Knightwave sneered, "No, that wasn't cynical at all! That was degrading, and most of all inconsiderate!", he remarked.

"Who cares, what's done is done, and I don't regret a single thing. Now, we have another task, that needs to be taken care of.", Knock-Out responded, as if nothing happened.

With a sneer, "You're right, what's done is done, I'm done.", the purple seeker grumbled, before giving control over to Tap-Out, whose violet optics were burning neon.

Rolling his optics, "Sure go take a nap!", The red mech hollered, as he examined Breakdown's frame, "I could really go for a drive…", he sighed, before he was struck in the back of the helm, by his sister.

"What in the Pit!", Knock-Out exclaimed, glaring at the stern face of his sister.

"You know, sometimes you could be very sparkless, you know that?", she implied, her tone holding anger, as she glared into her brother's optics.

"Tell me something I don't know.", the red mech remarked, glaring back into Tap-Out's optics.

"Look, we are going nowhere, without that research, and with you acting like a total Knock-Off.", she implied, "So if you really want to see Breakdown online again, I suggest you pull out whatever crawled up your aft, and start taking things seriously.", the crimson femme made known.

"You're exactly like sire! Always stating the obvious!", Knock-Out sneered, walking away from his sister, and putting servo over his faceplate.

"If you already know what you're doing wrong, then why haven't you tried fixing it?", Tap-Out questioned, crossing her arms.

"Don't you think, I've tried? I've tried so many times, I came up with the realization, that everything I do, won't change a thing.", the red mech shuddered.

With a sigh, "Then tell me, what is wrong…", she said calmly.

"Everything… everything is wrong… I've made many mistakes, and all of them I regret... My biggest mistake was leaving… leaving everyone I knew behind.", he uttered, his inner fears finally revealed.

"Then why do you act, the way you do, if you believe everything you do, is a mistake?", Tap-Out asked, slowly walking up to her brother.

"That's the thing, I like it.", he grinned, "And just like Knightwave put it, 'I am who I am, and not who I was'.", the red mech remarked.

"So you prefer being a cynical, narcissistic, sadist, with a ego so big, not even the known universe could match its size?", Tap-Out implied, her expression a tad annoyed.

Waving a servo, "Couldn't have said it better myself.", Knock-Out smirked.

With a huff, "Well, keep your tendencies to yourself, when around Knightwave… he's a bit touchy when it comes to being… well you know.", the crimson femme shrugged.

"No promises, after all I did warn him about my eccentric personality.", the red mech chimed.

 _{And I shouldn't have let my guard down either, your brother seems to have many personalities… the sadistic side is what I fear…}_ , Knightwave grumbled, within Tap-Out's mind.

"So Tap-Out, want to go for a drive?", Knock-Out asked.

"Shouldn't we stay? We do have other matters, that need to be focused on.", she pointed at a monitor screen, that displayed the incomplete resurrection research.

Waving it off, "Breakdown would actually want me to go out, after all we've been cooped up in here for so long, my tires have been itching to touch some genuine asphalt.", he exclaimed, his optics pleading for some action.

"If driving keeps you from causing more trouble, than I know the perfect stretch of road, to keep you satisfied for solar cycles.", Tap-Out smiled, even though she'd really like to start working on Breakdown's revival.

"I do hope that this 'stretch of road' you're taking about, comes with sharp turns, and high speed limits?", Knock-Out asked, crossing his arms in a sassy fashion.

"Speed limits? Where we're going, there are no speed limits.", she chuckled, opening a ground bridge portal.

"So you have been watching, Earth films?", the red mech grinned, slyly.

"Just go through the blasted bridge.", Tap-Out responded, with a blank expression.

* * *

 _ **{Meanwhile- Relic Location}**_

"Lord Megatron!", an Eradicon waved, as he saw the gunmetal warlord, transform from jet mode, to his bipedal form, along with Dreadwing, whose alt mode looked similar to Knightwave's original jet mode, with forward swept wings.

"Has the relic been uncovered?", Megatron questioned.

"Y-yes my lord.", the Eradicon bowed, as he finally noticed the SIC.

"I certainly hope that our new acquisition, is of Decepticon origin.", the warlord implied, walking up to a group of Eradicons, who were lifting the final stone, that covered the unknown relic.

Once the rock was moved, Megatron's optics grew with shock, as he gazed down at a metallic handle, of that of a sword, "It cannot be!", he gasped.

"What is it, my liege?", Dreadwing asked, only for him too to gasp at the sight, "Is that the legendary Star Saber!?", he questioned, his tone sounded baffled.

With a sneer, "Power of this magnitude, must never be allowed to fall into the hands of Optimus Prime, no matter what.", the warlord implied, grabbing hold of the handle, as he tried to pull it from the mountain, to no avail.

"It seems that sword only reacts to that of a Prime, none of us are worthy enough for it to budge.", Dreadwing remarked, only for Megatron to become furious, and started shooting at the sword.

Once the dust settled, both mechs were able to see that both the sword, and the stone around it, was unphased, "The rock is impermeable! The relic is emanating a protective shield!", Megatron gasped.

Approaching the sword, "There seems to be, nothing we can do, my lord.", the revived seeker stated.

Growling, "We will remove it, even if we have to take the entire mountain!", the gunmetal mech sneered, before storming away from the relic.

As Megatron walked off, Dreadwing looked down at the sword, and took hold of the handle, with one if his new silver servos. Without much effort, and a slight tug towards himself, the sword slide through the stone, making a distinct metallic scraping sound. However before it could fully come out of the mountain, the SIC immediately let go of the blade, and stared at it.

Blinking his red optics, "I need to inform Knightwave of this…", he uttered to himself, before walking off.

* * *

 _ **{Meanwhile- Autobots}**_

"So let me guess, Megatron has no idea that you guys, have tabs on his location, around the clock? That's so rad!", Smokescreen jumped, his tone filled with a mischievous tone.

*Bweee zoooooo dododododod bwwwzooo…*, Bee sighed with a buzz.

Smirking at the yellow scout, "Miko has that effect on others… sometimes good and sometimes bad… he's a mix of both.", Arcee laughed.

"So what are we doing just standing around for? I'm ready for some, 'Con aft kickin' action!", the young mech exclaimed, getting into a fighting stance, and throwing some air punches.

"Autobots.", Optimus announced, getting everyone's attention, and he and Ratchet walking into the main part of the base.

"So any information from Knightwave?", Arcee asked.

"Unfortunately, we were unable to make any contact…", Ratchet sighed.

"Nonetheless, we have a mission to uphold. We mustn't allow the Decepticons to secure this relic.", the Prime implied, "Ratchet, open the ground bridge.", he instructed, walking towards the bridge.

Standing behind the Prime, Bumblebee, Arcee, and Smokescreen stood in formation, awaiting Optimus' orders. Then, in a burst of green, and blue light, the ground bridge opened, "Autobots, transform and roll out!", the Prime exclaimed, as the four bots transformed, and drove through the portal.

* * *

 _ **{Relic Location}**_

Once the ground bridge closed, the Autobots were treated to sight of the Nemesis, looming over a forest clearing. Large pieces of rock, scatter the clearing, as the warship launched, what seemed to be tethers to a large mountain side. Optimus squinted his optics, to zoom into what seemed to be a group of Eradicons, fastening the tethers into the stone.

"Any idea what kind of relic we are dealing with?", Arcee questioned, her tone a bit hushed.

"I cannot see from here, we'll need to get closer.", Optimus responded, however before he could skid down a slope, the sound of a transformation caught his attention.

"It seems that Megatron's attempt, to distract you failed.", a familiar voice mused.

"Dreadwing.", the Prime announced, turning towards the SIC, while Arcee, Bumblebee, and Smokescreen ready their weapons.

However, once they turn around to face the SIC, the Autobots just froze still. All of their optics grew, as they gazed upon an unfamiliar mech, whose frame looked ancient in design, while also keeping a strong presence. The march's purplish maroon finish, glistened as of never touched, it used in battle, overall this unknown seeker looked as if he was new.

"How is this even possible?", Optimus blinked.

"I too, have asked myself that question Prime, nonetheless you have come at the right time. As we speak Megatron is attempting to move that mountain, however it would take some time before those tethers are safely secure, giving you enough time to secure what is rightfully yours.", the revived seeker implied, pointing a sharp, silver digit at the mountain.

"Even after your revival, you are still choosing to disobey Megatron?", Optimus asked, gazing upon Dreadwing's new faceplate, as if trying to figure out why he looks so familiar, yet unknown to him.

"My believes still stand, even though I look different, I myself is still the same.", Dreadwing admitted.

There was a moment of silence between the Autobots and the revived seeker, all seemed to be moved by his words. However, Arcee and Smokescreen has some festering thoughts, that we're wanting to come could.

"I know this is out of line but-", the blue femme spoke up, however before she could finish her sentence, about how strange it is that Dreadwing is always the first one to discover them, Smokescreen budded in.

"It's an honor to meet you sir! Optimus told me about you, and wow you are more amazing than I figured!", the young scout gleefully said, which caused Dreadwing to give a little grin, of surprise. While the others just stared at the young mech, and his tenacity to speak over others.

"Likewise, Autobot.", Dreadwing bowed his his new helm, outstretching a servo, with Smokescreen immediately taking it.

Once the revived seeker took the young mech's servo, it was as of he entered a trance like state, while also staying in reality. When his rotated his red optics, to look around, it was as if he could see everyone's Sparks, including the Matrix of Leadership, however when he looked back at Smokescreen… he saw something other than a spark, something hidden inside his lower chassis.

Immediately, the SIC let go of the young mech's servo, and used his other servo to cradle it, as if it were injured.

"Was it something I said?", Smokescreen asked, is tone yielding concern.

"My-my apologies, not even a few cycles ago, I was awoken from purgatory, and now I find myself experiencing, rather foreign occurrences…", Dreadwing explained.

"What do you mean?", Arcee questioned.

"Prime.", the seeker began, "The relic is the Star Saber.", he informed, which caused everybot to take a step back.

"You mean the real thing!?", Smokescreen gasped, "You know, the legendary weapon forged by Solus Prime!", he geeked out, which in turn caused Bumblebee to roll is blue optics.

"Indeed, and it is rumored to wield the power of the Matrix.", Optimus commented.

"That explains why, Megatron is trying to take the whole mountain.", the blue femme pointed out.

*Bweee zooodididididooooo weeiiiii.*, Bumblebee added.

Nodding his helm, "Precisely, Megatron is unworthy of wielding the sword… however… I am.", Dreadwing admitted, causing Optimus to take a step closer to the revived mech.

"You are worthy of wielding the Star Saber?", the Prime asked, his blue optics opened wide, in astonishment.

"I was curious about the weapon, therefore I was tempted to test my own will, which ultimately lead to me nearly pulling the relic from the stone. Whilst, Megatron failed.", the SIC informed, still gripping his servo.

"Due to all the strange things happening, now a days, this is actually surprising me.", Arcee mentioned, crossing her arms.

"I second that, Alpha Trion said that only those who with the power of the Primes, could wield the Star Saber. With no disrespect, you're a Decepticon, you shouldn't by default, be able to wield the saber.", Smokescreen implied.

"That may be true, in some cases, but Dreadwing has proven himself to be a formidable ally, and has risked his spark to avenge that of his twin. Even if that meant going against his beliefs, and betraying his kind.", the Prime informed, staring into the revived seeker's optics.

With a deep vent, "I believe that it is time to make your move.", Dreadwing affirmed, pointing at the mountain, "The final tether is being fastened, this is your window of opportunity.", he hinted.

"Thank you Dreadwing.", Optimus acknowledged.

"No Prime, thank you.", the revived seeker grinned, before taking a step off the ledge, and transforming into an ancient Cybertronian jet, then flying off towards the mountain.

"Oh!", Smokescreen snapped his digits, "Now I know why he looks so familiar! He looks almost exactly like Cyclonus! You know the Legendary warrior of the ancient time?! The one who disobeyed Galvatron and Unicron?", the young mech chuckled.

 _{Cyclonus…},_ Optimus thought, watching as the revived mech fly up towards the Nemesis, before vanishing.

* * *

 _ **{Meanwhile- The Nemesis Flight Deck}**_

"What do you mean, the Autobots haven't taken the bait?", Megatron growled, as he paced back and forth, across the metal deck, not even noticing Dreadwing, who transformed, and landed on the deck.

"Are you positive? If so, then their systems are more faulty than I figured. Report back to the relic site immediately, just leave the beacon in a ravine.", the warlord commanded, turning his helm towards his SIC, "Anything to report?", he questioned.

"No my liege, the operation is going according to plan.", Dreadwing replied.

However, before the warlord could say anything, his com-link went off, "My lord! We have a situation!", an Eradicon exclaimed, while in the background, the sound of blaster fire, could be heard.

"The Autobots… but how!", Megatron snarled, "Dreadwing!", he yelled.

"Affirmative.", the SIC responded, as both seeker ran across the flight deck, before transforming into their alt modes.

* * *

"Autobots! Push for the relic!", Optimus exclaimed, dodging enemy blaster fire, while also shooting with precise accuracy.

The four Autobots pushed forward, Arcee and Smokescreen, where working together in the rear, while Optimus and Bumblebee cleared the front. It was as if they were fighting in sync, for the Decepticon foot soldiers, stood no chance against them. However, just as they were about to reach the mountain, the whole area started to shake, as the Nemesis, started to rise. Looking up, Optimus saw the Gunmetal warlord, flying straight towards him, his angered yells echoing through the air.

"Prime!", Megatron yelled, slamming his alt mode into Optimus, carrying the Autobot leader away.

"Megatron!", Optimus exclaimed, bashing his fists into the jet, causing the warlord to spin out of control, letting go of the Prime.

Skidding a ways away from the gunmetal mech, who transformed back into his bipedal mode, Optimus pulled out his arm sword, and took a defensive stance, "Autobots make sure to secure the Star Saber, I'll deal with Megatron.", he com-linked.

Chuckling, "My my Optimus, how did you see passed my decoy?", Megatron grinned, whipping some energon off his mouth.

Not answering, Optimus began to circle the warlord, trying to gain distance, so if he needed to he could retreat, and retrieve the Star Saber. However, the farther the Prime distanced himself, the closer the gunmetal mech came.

"I know what you're trying to do Optimus, need I remind you, I was a gladiator in the Pits of Kaon, before I became a politician. Gaining distance won't work for you, nor gaining the Star Saber, will do any better.", Megatron sneered, he too revealing his arm blade.

"We will see Megatron, we will see.", the Prime remarked, his blue optics never leaving the red glow if the warlord's.

* * *

Meanwhile, the trio of Autobots, ran towards the relic, only to be stopped by a stream of blaster fire, while seemed to miss every shot.

*Bweeezoooo!*, Bumblebee buzzed with surprise, as a familiar Cybertronian jet flew overhead.

"Hey, I thought he was on our side?!", Smokescreen exclaimed, as he watched the jet transform into Dreadwing.

"He is!", Arcee hollered, while she shot at some Eradicons, "He just has to play his part, we don't want Megatron to know he's on our side.", she remarked.

"Sweat! This battle reminds me of the ancient legends of the Primes!", the young mech squealed, while he dodged a few shots, from the 'Cons.

*Bwe dododo doewwww zooooiii dididididoooo!*, the yellow scout buzzed.

"What, I am taking this seriously, no need to worry Bee, I've got everything under control.", Smokescreen smiled, only for him get nicked in the shoulder, by one of Dreadwing's shots, which were meant not to harm the Autobots.

"Ah! Hey!", the white mech yelped, shaking a servo at the revived seeker, who for some reason vanished, right before the young mech's optics. Uncertain, about what just happened to Dreadwing, Smokescreen just shook his helm, and continued to push forward.

Running passed the young mech, *Bweee dooo.*, Bee sighed.

However, just as soon as Smokescreen was about to come up with a cocky comeback, a massive tremor shook the very ground, while the sound of a thunderous quake vibrated the air, "Optimus! The Mountain!", Arcee com-linked. Looking up Optimus' optics grew large, as the massive mountain was stripped from the very Earth, suspended in the air by tethers.

Laughing at the Prime, Megatron transformed, and flew over towards his warship, "Good luck trying to secure the Star Saber now, Optimus Prime!", Megatron beamed, admiring the Autobot's defeat.

Just then, Optimus transformed into his big rig alt mode, and at top speed maneuvered through the rocky area, while dodging incoming attacks, and flew off a newly formed cliff edge, sending him flying. Once it mid air, the Prime transformed, although it seemed he was going to reach the saber, the Prime suddenly felt as if gravity was pulling him down.

Suddenly, when all hope seemed lost, Optimus felt as if something was carrying him, "Make it seem as believable as possible!", a familiar voice came out of nowhere.

"Knightwave!?", the Prime exclaimed, looking down to notice that an invisible force was carrying him.

"You can thank me later, when you uncover the secrets to Rigor Mortis' research.", the purple seeker implied, as he flew towards the saber, which the Prime took grasp of, "The rest is up to you from here, I got somewhere to be.", Knightwave informed, before completely vanishing.

Megatron stood on the flight deck, his servos balled into fists, as he saw Optimus 'fly' towards the saber, and grabbing hold of it's handle, "No!", Megatron growled, as the Prime pulled the sword from the stone, plummeting towards the ground, and landing unscathed.

The trio of Autobots watched, with shock in their optics, as Optimus emerged from the dust cloud, with a glowing blue Star Saber in hand. Megatron, on the other hand, wasn't pleased at all, his red optics glowing furiously as he death glared the Prime, while also trying to find his SIC, who seemed to have vanished.

 _{The Autobots must've gotten the upper hand on Dreadwing, poor shame that he was only online for a short duration.}_ , Megatron thought, his optics brooding.

With an outraged roar, "Drop the mountain on him!", the warlord ordered. The mountain the loomed above the Autobots, started to jerk, as the tethers that secured in the air, started to be unhooked, Arcee who was the first to notice this, took a step back.

"Optimus, retreat!", the blue femme hollered, while she and the others made a run for it, to avoid getting pulverized.

"Now!", Smokescreen yelled.

"Crush him!", Megatron commanded, ordering the Eradicons the completely cut the tethers.

At that moment, the mountain plummeted to the ground, crashing against the Earth, and began to roll towards the Prime, who only stood there. Suddenly, with one powerful swing, the Star Saber glowed an ominous blue, as an energy wave sliced right through the rock, splicing it in half.

"Did he just-", Arcee gasped.

*Dooweee dooo…*, Bee buzzed.

Megatron's optics grew wide with fear, for he underestimated the power of the legendary weapon, for Optimus just stood there unscathed, "Soundwave, get the warship out of here!", the gunmetal mech uttered, as his communications chief, activated the Nemesis' thrusters in an attempt to retreat. Then, with another powerful swing, Optimus sent another energy wave, this time it collided with that of the thrusters, damaging the warship as it fled.

"Whoa, can he do that?", Smokescreen gasped, his blue optics glowing an astonished neon, as he gazed at the Prime.

Megatron, wasn't so astonished, rather he was outraged, beyond belief, "We Decepticons, now face our darkest hour.", the warlord shuddered, only for Soundwave to walk over, to deliver a video message that was sent to him, during the battle.

After Soundwave finished informing Megatron about the message, the gunmetal mech was left more speechless than he was before."How is that even possible?", he questioned, as the silent seeker displayed the video feed on Nemesis' main display.

* * *

 _ **{Sometime later- Autobot base}**_

"How epic was that?! I-I saw it with my own two optics, but I still don't believe it!", Smokescreen laughed, while the ground bridge closed behind him.

"You can't believe what?", Ratchet asked, only for him to notice that Optimus was holding the Star Saber, "The relic this whole time was the Star Saber, and you didn't bother to tell me?", the old doctor asked.

"What, did letting you take my place, spoil you Ratchet?", Arcee chuckled.

With a scoff, "Preposterous!", the old mech responded.

*Bweee de dooo.*, Bumblebee shrugged, only for him to get a wrench thrown at him.

"Maybe a little, that Bumblebee!", Ratchet exclaimed, with a smug grin on his faceplate.

"So Optimus, what's our new game plan? Now that we are in possession of the Star Saber, old Megs will sure have a run for his Shanix!", Smokescreen chimed, only for him to get no response, "Optimus?", he persisted, only for him to notice that he was in some sort of trance.

Arcee noticing Smokescreen's concern, hastily walked over towards him, only to notice the same thing, "Ratchet!", she hollered, causing the old doctor to run over.

"Optimus, speak to me!", Ratchet exclaimed, trying to find out what is wrong with his friend.

*Bweeezooo!*, the yellow scout buzzed.

Then, the Prime's optics blinked, giving indication that he is still operational, "I am receiving a message.", Optimus uttered.

"From who?", Ratchet questioned.

"From Alpha Trion and...", Optimus paused, as if he were speechless, causing the others to look at him with concern, "From Alpha Trion… and Rigor Mortis…", he uttered, as his blue optics flashed.

* * *

 **End of chapter Notes:** _First off, this chapter was fun! I'm one of those people who enjoy the concept of being their own fans... so much so I'm planning on posting some random artwork that I made... yeah I sound really weird right now, but it isn't uncommon. Nonetheless, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, and if you'd like leave a comment about what you think... I don't mind if you post in a different language (Google translate is my waifu XD)... so yeah that's pretty much it... oh and if find any grammar errors, or simple mistakes you can comment about that too, I don't mind criticism, cuz it helps me become a better writer. Other than that,_ **Thank You for Reading** _, and I hope to see you in the next chapter... well I can't see you, but you know what I mean._

 _ps... if you find any references to other movies and stuff in this chapter, it's because when I was in highskool I liked watching a lot of 80s film, and various animated shows... which not to lie I still watch... cuz I'm a big fat nerd, who likes watching old stuff..._


	18. TFP: Sparkless Ch18: Desecration

**Disclaimer** **:** _I do not own any of the Transformers characters in the TFP series, nor do I claim ownership of any_ _kind towards anything trademarked. This story is just for fun, and isn't connected towards the true lore behind the franchise. The only things I own are the OCs._

 **Update Note:** _First things first, I've been very busy... like really busy, but fellow reader this story still has a ways to go! Each chapter is kinda like an episode, some with action, some with drama, and maybe a mix of both! Other than that ho ha, I am currently typing up the next chapter, and checking for spelling mistakes along the way, also if I find any mistakes, after it is posted, they will be squashed! So please enjoy Chapter 18..._

* * *

 **Chapter 18: Desecration**

Megatron stood tall, as his red optics burned, glaring at the faceplate of his former second in command, though it looked different in a sense, "Whatever you are hoping to achieve, you must be very foolish, or very overconfident, none will help you once you're deactivated.", the gunmetal warlord growled.

"Oh, on the contrary Megatron, I'm neither of those things, but rather a risk taker.", Starscream chuckled, revealing that of Dreadwing, who appeared to be unconscious, while also strapped down to a metal berth.

"You are more reckless than I figured, how were you able to capture my Second in Command?", Megatron asked.

Laughing, "So this is your new SIC? My replacement? Funny, how I thought that blue seeker… Dreadwing… was in any possibility, capable of replacing my position!", the silver seeker mocked, however Megatron began to chuckle at Starscream's arrogance, "What? What's so funny?", the seeker questioned.

"What you fail to realize Starscream, that mech you so called 'captured' is Dreadwing, and I don't think he'll be very pleased, when his awakes from his little nap.", the warlord grinned.

Once said, Starscream's wings began to fold backwards, as he slowly turned around to stare at the purplish maroon mech, "What!?", he shrieked, causing him to take a few glances,at the unconscious seeker, _{How it that even possible?! That can't be Dreadwing! He was completely scraped!}_ , the silver seeker stressed.

"Now that I have, situated your predicament, before Dreadwing wakes up, and snuffs your spark, tell me Starscream how did you manage to capture my SIC, and why have you decided to show your face after all this time?", Megatron questioned, crossing his arms.

Clenching his servos, "Skywarp! Thundercracker!", the silver seeker commanded, and within that instant two seekers appeared, as if they teleported.

"More protoform clones? And you named them after your old trine, how amusing… and by their incredible speed, I'm guessing you're using Red Energon? Funny how things turn out.", the gunmetal warlord implied.

"Want me to rip out his very spark my lord? I could do it under a nano-klik.", Skywarp sneered.

Shaking his helm, "As tenacious as the original, but what you fail to realize that your so called 'Lord', wouldn't want that, would you Starscream?", Megatron laughed.

"What is he talking about, my liege?", Thundercracker asked.

With a growl, "I'm trying to get us back, into the Decepticon cause.", Starscream admitted, causing both clones to glare at their 'master'.

"Nobody asked you to leave.", the warlord made known.

With a nervous chuckle, "Well I didn't actually feel welcomed at the time…", the silver seeker uttered, while both clones where looking at him, with scowls.

"Starscream, Starscream, Starscream, you're still the same cowardly seeker, I've known since the start of this conflict, even your clones don't share this trait, how entertaining.", Megatron clapped, "If you release my SIC, then I'll consider giving you another chance, but next time do try and come up with a better reason for me to welcome you back.", he implied.

"So you're letting me go!? Even after I captured Dreadwing!?", Starscream praised, Megatron's 'generosity'.

"Only this once, no more second chances.", the warlord made known.

"Thank you! Thank you!", the silver seeker exclaimed, while both Skywarp and Thundercracker crossed their arms, as if disappointed.

Looking up at the two disappointed clone, "What do you two think you're doing? Return Dreadwing this instant!", Starscream ordered, while both just rolled their optics, and instantly vanished, along with the revived seeker. Once they were gone, Starscream looked back at the screen, only to notice that Megatron had cut the feed.

"Thank the Allspark, Megatron has a ting of generosity…", the silver seeker vented.

Meanwhile on the Nemesis, Megatron wasn't at all pleased with Starscream being online. That included the fact that, he was not only in possession of a supply of Red Energon, but also had two clones of himself, with one welding what seemed to be an Iacon relic.

"Have you traced their location?", Megatron asked Soundwave, who simple nodded, "Good, his location may be used, as a means of persuasion.", the gunmetal warlord commented, walking passed the silent, as he exited the bridge, and headed towards the med bay.

* * *

 _ **{Meanwhile- Autobot base}**_

"Optimus, what is Alpha Trion, and Rigor Mortis saying?", Ratchet asked, as he gazed at the entranced Prime.

Within Optimus' mind, "I wish we could met under different circumstances, Optimus Prime.", the wise voice of Alpha Trion spoke, as a glowing white specter of the master archivist, appeared next to that of a strange looking femme.

"But we fear that the next attack on Iacon, will be its last stand.", the voice of Rigor Mortis added.

Optics opening wide, "So, you speak to me, from across the ages?", Optimus gasped.

"If you are listening to our message, then we take solace that you possess the Star Saber.", the bearded archivist foretold.

"However, if you are not already aware, there is another who is worthy of wielding this weapon.", Rigor Mortis implied.

"Indeed, and he is one of many allies, that will aid you in the future. For as loyal, and honorable as he is, there are conflicts that he has to deal with first before, joining your team.", Alpha Trion informed.

"Are you speaking about Dreadwing?", Optimus queried.

"Unfortunately, due to our vague understanding of its runes, of the Covenant of the Primes, we are able to see shadowy renditions of the future, however we cannot foretell the outcomes.", Alpha Trion Spoke.

"However, we are able to foretell one possible future, and that includes the resurrection of Cybertron, and those who have perished on it's soil.", Rigor Mortis announced.

"The Emberstone…", Optimus remarked.

"You're journeys have taken you down the right path, however there is more than one way to revive our home. The Emberstone may be one of those tools, but once combined with that of the Omega Lock, and the Allspark, it is possible to revive not only our planet's core, but all who perished on its soil.", Alpha Trion foretold.

"The Omega Lock?", Optimus mumbled to himself.

"As a gift, this message also comes included with a piece of my research, which could only be unlocked with the right key.", Rigor Mortis commented, as an image of none other than Knightwave appeared, "He will lead you down the right path.", she concluded.

"I hope our message will aid the Autobots in the revival of Cybertron, not only will it mark the beginning of a new era, but also will rewrite history, in hopes for a better future.", Alpha Trion announced, before everything started to fade.

"But be warned, Optimus Prime, history has a way of repeating itself…", Rigor Mortis' voice faded, as the vision came to an end.

* * *

Abruptly, the Prime was released from his trance, "Easy, Optimus.", Ratchet soothed, catching Optimus when he lost his footing.

"So did Alpha Trion ask about me?", Smokescreen chimed, only to be pushed aside by Bumblebee.

"What was the message?", Arcee asked.

"It is paramount that we recover the final four Iacon relics, the Omega Keys.", Optimus remarked.

"Keys?", Smokescreen questioned.

"To what?", Ratchet wondered.

"The revival of our home world.", the Prime foretold.

* * *

 _ **{Meanwhile- Med Bay}**_

"I can't believe that you just left me out there, in the the middle of nowhere, in the pouring rain!", Knock-Out complained, while he buffed himself, just to make sure there are no streaks left on his finish.

"You didn't mind the rain, when you and Tap-Out were racing.", Knightwave remarked, as he analyzed the remains of Breakdown's processor and Spark Chamber.

Putting down the buffer, "That was a different scenario! And besides, whatever the reason for you ditching me, you should've at least bridged me back.", the red mech implied, putting his servos on his hips.

"Well, the scenario I had to deal with, was far more important, and I don't regret anything.", the purple seeker replied.

"Please, the moment Megatron finds out, that you've been working with the Autobots, will be the moment you will regret everything.", Knock-Out remarked.

"And if that ever happens, I'll make sure you fall with me.", Knightwave slyly said, with a grin under his visor.

 _{Nice one, you really got him there.}_ , Tap-Out commented.

With a sneering expression, "Clever aren't you?", the red doctor commented. All he got in response was a neon purple, and red happy face, that Knightwave displayed on his visor, followed by a few snickers.

"How professional of you.", Knock-Out grumbled.

"More professional than you.", the purple seeker responded.

With a Jeering expression,"You're still angry at me, for making that joke aren't you, and this is your way of getting back at me?", the red mech sighed.

With a slight chuckle, "Unlike you, my jokes don't involve the harassment of others, and yes this is my way of getting you back.", Knightwave snickered.

However, before Knock-Out could come up with a snazzy comeback, that sounded absolutely fantastic in his mind, the med bays doors slide open. Emerging from the doors rattling doors, was a very unpleasant gunmetal mech, whose expression was that of rage.

"L-lord Megatron!", Knock-Out gasped.

"Knightwave, come with me, would you.", the gunmetal mech demanded.

Moving away from his workstation, the purple seeker slowly approached the large warlord, his red optics beaming down at the masked seeker, "What do you require me for?", he asked.

"Don't you recall my conditions doctor? When I need you, I expect to follow, without question.", Megatron sneered, "And as for you Knock-Out, I want you prep your workstation, who knows what kind of condition Dreadwing would be in, once- If he returns from his mission.", he added.

Both seeker and grounder looked at each other, before both bowing, "Yes my liege.", in unison.

 _{Great, now I have to deal with Dreadwing, again…}_ , the red mech thought, feeling a tinge of annoyance, on how Megatron always seems to pop up, in the most unexpected times.

"Come Knightwave, there is much to discuss.", the warlord beckoned, walking out of the med bay.

* * *

Following the warlord, the purple seeker couldn't help, but feel as if something disastrous was going to happen. He also had the same feeling many times in the past, and it seemed that every time he felt it, things just fell apart. As he continued to follow Megatron, he noticed that they were headed towards the fight deck, that was when he knew that something was up. Once they stepped outside, it appeared that while they were walking, the Nemesis has risen far into the upper atmosphere, for the sky appeared to be a shade of obsidian, but still keeping an ominous glow.

Megatron then stopped, in the middle of the flight deck, and glared at the purple seeker, "You're probably questioning why I brought you out here?", the warlord grinned, "While you were hiding away in the med bay, it has seemed that the Autobots have acquired a certain relic, whose power could potentially be disastrous to our cause.", he informed.

"What does this, have to do with me?", Knightwave asked, his tone holding suspension.

"I know that you know more, than you're leading on. I knew from the moment, I allowed you to survive, and take refuge aboard my ship. Now is the time, for you to come clean, and tell me what I want to know.", Megatron confronted.

 _{Scrap! Does he know of our deception?},_ Tap-Out stressed.

In a monotone voice, "What is it, that you want to know?", Knightwave asked.

With a chuckle, that could scare the metal off any Insecticon,"The truth behind, Rigor Mortis' research. How, it wasn't meant to revive just the deactivated, but rather the revival of our planet.", the gunmetal mech smirked.

 _{Well then… he his cluess… well to a point that is..},_ Tap-Out sighed, in relief.

"You found out the truth, indeed Rigor Mortis' research, if compiled, does show the key to our planet's resurrection.", the purple seeker acknowledged, while under his visor was the expression of pure relief.

"And I am aware that, Rigor Mortis also scattered that research, so it'd be near impossible to assemble without her knowledge, of their whereabouts.", Megatron implied, "Now I want you to tell me, where could I possibly find said research fragments?", he insisted.

With a sigh, "If I had an possible idea where the fragments were, then I wouldn't be on this ship, I'd be out there searching for them.", Knightwave remarked.

Cackling, "Indeed, but I need to find a way to defeat the Autobots, now that they are in possession of a very powerful relic, of the ancients. I wish to wield this Emberstone, to revive Cybertron, and claim it as my own!", the warlord roared, his expression a sinister bliss.

Squinting under his visor, "You are as relentless as they come, my Liege.", the purple seeker commented, "However, in due time the research will be complete, you just have to be patient,", he implied.

"Patience will only get us nowhere, it would just give the Autobots more time to use against us!", Megatron sneered, only for the sound of a jet to be heard.

Appearing above the Nemesis, was a strange Earth-based aircraft, its overall appearance was sleek, yet menacing. The forward swept wings, looked like they had a mechanism, that allowed them to become standard swept, something that neither Megatron nor Knightwave had ever seen.

"Apologies, for my late arrival my lord.", Dreadwing's voice came from the unknown aircraft, as it suddenly transformed.

"It seems that Starscream's clones, didn't give you much of a challenge.", Megatron presumed.

"Neither were they formidable enemies, the only one I wish to decimate, is that of the original.", Dreadwing sneered.

Looking over at the purple seeker, "Your presence is no longer required, you may return back to the med bay. However, we shall continue our conversation another time.", the gunmetal mech implied.

 _{He's catching on to your tactics… seems that using that phase to end a conversation, wasn't the best idea.},_ Tap-Out sighed, realizing that the purple seeker, does use that phase a lot.

"Of course my liege, is Dreadwing coming along?", Knightwave remarks.

Looking towards his SIC, "That won't be necessary, as I can clearly see, my second in command is in far better condition, than I initially figured.", Megatron grinned.

With a bow, the purple seeker left the flight deck, relieved that Megatron hasn't discovered his secret, but also he was a bit disappointed. Not that Dreadwing was injured, it was just that, he was hoping to see Knock-Out beg for forgiveness… but knowing that narcissistic mech, it wouldn't have happened anyways.

* * *

Back on the flight deck, Megatron was currently informing his SIC about the Decepticons' currently position. With each passing word, the warlord grew ever displeased, while Dreadwing grew ever impatient.

Pacing back and forth, "With the Star Saber in his possession, Optimus can obliterate us all with a wave of his hand! I must find a way to tip the balance of power back in our favor.", the warlord  
grumbled.

Contemplating on aiding the gunmetal mech, the revived seeker finally spoke up, "Do we not also possess a powerful relic of the ancients?", Dreadwing queried.

"Indeed, the Forge of Solus Prime.", Megatron acknowledged.

"The Forge, is it not useless, except in the hand of a Prime?", the revived seeker implied, however he recalled that he was able to wield that of the Star Saber, which begged the question, _{Am I capable of wielding that, of the Forge as well?}_ , he thought.

Cackling, "But I might wield that power, if I were to control such a hand! With that power, I could even forge that of the Emberstone, once we collect the rest of the data, regarding that of Rigor Mortis' research.", the warlord grinned.

"The Emberstone?", Dreadwing questioned, "But isn't that a myth? A relic that was once wielded, by that of Quintus Prime?", he asked.

"Why yes, it has come to my attention, that once combined, the research foretells that of the creation of the Emberstone, but it is still incomplete. Thus we need to find the rest of the data, before the Autobots, have a chance to discover it.", Megatron informed.

"How would it be possible for the Autobots, to discover the research, if they are unaware of Knightwave's presence?", Dreadwing remarked, though he felt as if Megatron was onto the purple seeker's antics.

Gazing at the revived seeker, "Soundwave had informed me that, he had met the Autobots doctor, while exploring that of the Harbinger, therefore they do know of his existence.", the gunmetal mech clarified.

"I understand my Lord.", the maroonish-purple mech bowed his helm, _{Why hasn't Knightwave, disclosed the information, regarding the existence of the Emberstone, to me?}_ , he thought.

"Good, now that there are no more questions…", Megatron paused, as the Nemesis flew towards that of the moon, whose surface was still forever altered, due to the destruction of the Immortal.

"Earth's moon, is a barren rock, along with what remain of the Immortal, is it not?", Dreadwing observed.

"Indeed, Dreadwing.", Megatron nodded, "But the Moon, is not our destination.", he informed. Slowly, the warship approached the dark side of the lunar surface, revealing that of a strange, large, circular shaped object.

"A space bridge?", the revived seeker questioned, gazing at its sheer size.

"Our very own, relocated here after the Autobots discovered its whereabouts on Earth.", the warlord explained, recalling the incident with Orion Pax, and how he failed keep him from regaining his memories, "The dark side of the Moon, is hidden from prying human eyes, and more importantly, well out of the Autobots' reach.", he concluded.

 _{Though I do not approve of the Autobots', I can no longer trust my former master, his motives are clearly that of enmity, something I cannot stand for… but I do own my life to that of Knightwave… my one and true master…}_ , Dreadwing clenched his fist, as he seemed to be entranced in thought.

Then, snapping the revived mech back into reality, "Come, Dreadwing! We shall travel to the one place, in the galaxy, which may provide us with a means of defeating Optimus Prime.", the warlord snickered, before transforming into his Cybertronian jet, alt mode, and flying off towards the ground bridge, followed by that of Dreadwing, his new alt mode contrasting that of the gunmetal mech's.

* * *

 _ **{Meanwhile- Autobot Base}**_

"This research is unbelievable!", Ratchet marveled, "Rigor Mortis was either that of a pure genius, or that of a mad scientist…", he mumbled, rubbing his chin, as he analyzed the research.

"Hey Ratchet, mind informing us, about what this research is about?", Arcee asked, putting her servos on her hips.

"Yeah, I want in on this too!", Smokescreen chimed.

*Bweee deee doooo zoooweee.*, Bumblebee added.

Looking over at his fellow Autobots, "Yes, yes… yes.", the old doctor grumbled, "After looking through the data, this research explains the, step by step, processes of reviving that of deactivated sparks, regarding the revival of spark that have passed into the Allspark.", Ratchet explained.

"Hold up! That data explains how to revive the offline!?", the young white mech questioned.

Gazing at the young mech, with a stern expression, "That is what he just said.", the blue femme sighed.

"Indeed, however that was all I was able to decipher, once Optimus is done will his complete analysis, then we will be able to fully understand, whatever this research foretells.", Ratchet explained.

"But you have to say, that is really epic! Being able to revive the deactivated! I can't wait to tell Miko!", Smokescreen jumped, however the others didn't seem as joyful as the young mech. Realizing that the others weren't as excited, "What's wrong? I thought you guys would be more cheerful? I mean come on! We will be able to revive those who died, and Cyberron.", he shrugged.

"Smoke…", Arcee spoke up, "I don't think it would be a good idea, to tell Miko… she's been through a lot, and I don't think mentioning this will help.", she admitted.

"Y-you're talking about Bulkhead, right?", Smokescreen sighed.

Putting a servo on the young mech's shoulder, "It is best that, she remembers him as he was… and not dwell on the possibilities, of what could be…", Arcee mumbled.

"But what about the research? Can't it help revive him?", Smoke asked.

"That is something, we still don't know the answer to.", Ratchet walked over, "Arcee is right, this information stays with us, and away from the children.", he declared.

Hanging his helm, the young mech knew that they were right, Miko has been through a rough patch, and reminding the young teen of her deactivated friend, will only hurt her more. He couldn't help but feel as if his excitement, was viewed as insensitive, which in turn made the young mech feel as if he didn't belong. Though this feeling also sparked that of concern, ever since his arrival, Smokescreen felt as if his relationship with the Autobots, wasn't going well, not to mention all the crazy stuff that has been happening.

Speaking of crazy stuff, this strange human known as Agent Fowler, has been complaining to Ratchet about some strange activity. Specifically about an incident that occured in this place called Canada, regarding a warehouse discovered to be littered with that of, long dead MECH agents. Nonetheless, the young mech felt so out of place, there seemed to be nothing for him to, nothing that needed his aid anyways.

Then, breaking the silence of the base, Optimus walked out of his private office, a stern look upon his faceplate. The stoick leader, slowly walked towards the Ratchet, his blue optics flashing with what seemed to be that of worry.

"Optimus, have you finished your analysis of the research?", Ratchet asked.

"Indeed I have, however I would like to discuss the matter of collecting the 4 Iacon keys first.", the Prime announced.

"So what are these keys for, anyways?", Arcee questioned.

"Uh yeah? Aren't keys supposed to open doors?", Smokescreen commented.

Looking at his confused comrades, "The keys are required, for us to gain the final part of the research.", Optimus informed.

Shaking his helm in disbelief, "The final segment of the research is hidden within the Omega Lock?!", Ratchet asked.

"Thought I am unfamiliar with the lore behind these Omega Keys, towards the end of the research, the mentioning of the Omega Lock is most prominent, thus obtaining the Omega Keys is paramount, above all.", Optimus remarked.

There was a moment of silence, between the Autobots, all of the bots looked as if they were thinking, about the possible outcomes. Overall, the main thing on their processors, was the actuality of returning to their home world. Nonetheless, if this Emberstone is required for the revival of all who perished, then they'll need the last piece of the research.

Breaking the silence, "Alright… so where are these keys anyways?", Smokescreen asked, nervously.

* * *

 _ **{Meanwhile- Cybertron}**_

A dark shadow was cast across, what seemed to be a once glistening city. The landscape and atmosphere of the abandoned planet, of Cybertron, is a constant reminder to all who dare return. The war-torn hellscape, could only be described as a void, the emptiness of the rusted remains, reflected what has been lost. Suddenly, breaking the stillness of the hollow air, a space bridge portal hissed into reality, and not a moment later, a pair of aircraft fly out.

Growling at the sight, of his destroyed home, "The devastation to our home world, is far worse than I remember.", Dreadwing spoke, his thoughts reflecting the war.

"And who is to blame?", Megatron asked.

 _{You are}_ , the revived seeker thought, "Curse the Autobots, to the Pit!", he replied, trying his best to sound as believable as possible.

Without another word, both seekers flew across the rusted air, their jet engines kicking up dust, as the headed towards their destination. After a few minutes of flying, Megatron veered off, and transformed into his bipedal mode, in front of a strange complex. Landing a few feet behind the warlord, Dreadwing looked around the area, to notice that the area appeared to once be a bustling gathering area. In a matter of fact, this area looked very familiar, as if he's been here before… in a dream… or within someone's mind.

"Lord Megatron.", the revived seeker spoke up, causing the gunmetal mech to turn towards him, "Is this not the city of Vos?", he asked.

Grinning, "You are correct, however we are not here for sightseeing… though there isn't much to see anyways.", Megatron grimaced, "Come, we have matters to attend to.", he waved, as he walked towards the strange complex.

Giving one last glance, Dreadwing followed the warlord, into the complex, which appeared to once be a place, where the deactivated were stowed away. With each step, the revived seeker felt a heavy feeling, it was as if something has applying pressure down upon him. It didn't feel right to be walking down the long halls of the building, it was as if the deeper they traveled, the more pressure that was applied.

The whole time, the revived seeker tried to figure out why such a place, was making him feel such unusual feeling, and then it came to him, _{This isn't just an ordinary mausoleum, these are catacombs…}_ , he thought.

Megatron suddenly stopped, in front of what seemed to be a fully intact crypt, his red optics gazing an eerie glow on the surrounding, rusted metal. Dreadwing watched, as the gunmetal mech, aimed his cannon at the sealed door, and blasted his was through. The revived seeker couldn't help, but feel a spike of disdain towards the warlord, for desecrating the crypt.

Though reluctant, Dreadwing followed Megatron into the crypt, which surprisingly lead into another hallway, one that looked far more decorated, and pristine than the rest of the mausoleum. The warlord only walked a few feet, before stopping in front of archway, which lead into a single room, with what seemed to be strange looking container in the middle.

Keeping his composure, "A tomb.", Dreadwing uttered.

"One known, to contain the remains of Primes.", Megatron grinned, already knowing whose resting this tomb belonged to, "Please tell me, you're not averse to desecration?", he asked.

"You should already know the answer to that question, for I wouldn't be in my current state, if I did not care of the disrespect of the deactivated.", Dreadwing respond, a clear sneer on his new faceplate.

Chuckling, "But of course, that is why I decided to bring you along.", Megatron grinned, glaring into Dreadwing's optics, "Open that tomb, and I'll give you the location of Starscream, so you could exact your revenge.", the warlord beseeched.

Without any hesitation, the revived seeker, immediately pushed the top of the tomb, and forced it over to the side, revealing that of red, and yellow colored remains. Grinning at the sight, Megatron pulled out his arm blade, and jabbed it into the deactivated frame, of someone he once knew. While, the warlord severed the appendage, Dreadwing couldn't help but feel guilt wash over him, it was like an electrical wave, shooting into his very being.

{I am no better, than Megatron…}, he thought, looking down at his new silver servos, {But if this means the end of Starscream… I'll gladly take that title.}, he grimaced, closing his servos into tight fists.

* * *

 _ **{Meanwhile- Autobots}**_

"It seems that, these coordinates, use the same encryption as the other relics.", Ratchet pointed out, while the Autobots circle around Optimus, who was standing in front of a monitor, "It shouldn't take long, to decode them, if we use the algorithm Knightwave, and Tap-Out gave us.", the old doctor implied.

"Wait, I thought they just gave you the research?", Arcee commented.

"And them some…", Ratchet mumbled, not even glancing at the Blue femme, for he was too focused analyzing the coordinates.

Smokescreen, who was trying to get a closer look, at the green screen, "So how long will it take just to decode one coordinate?", he asked, however he got no answer, "Awe come on…", he sighed.

Putting a servo on the young mech's shoulder, "Don't sweat it Smoke, when they get like this, it's better to let them be, then ask questions when they're done.", Arcee remarked, "Come on, let's go see what Bee is up to.", she smiled.

"Uh yeah… what is he doing anyways?", the young mech asked.

"Beats me, he just said that he was gonna do something for Optimus.", the blue femme shrugged, both bots walking towards the hallway.

While both bots were walking down the hallway, they could hear the sound of what seemed to be a welder, for its distinct buzzing came from the into the room, Arcee and Smokescreen immediately found out what the young scout was up to, for bits of metal, and random debris was scattered about.

 _{Ratchet won't be happy to see this…}_ , the blue femme thought.

"This is so rad Bee! You're making a sword hilt, for the Big-O!", Smoke chimed, as he ran over towards the yellow mech.

*Bweeee zooooo dioioooooo dweeee doooo zweeeedididididoooo.*, the scout buzzed.

"Just a few hours with Miko, can do that to a bot.", Arcee joked, walking over towards to look at the hilt, "Looks nice Bee, but I thought Ratchet was going to make it?", she queried.

Waving a servo, "Bweee dooo, bweee dooo.*, Bumblebee beeped.

Laughing, "See, he's got it.", Smoke smiled.

Putting her servos on her hips, "We'll see…. When Ratchet finds out, you used his favorite wrench as a piece of the hilt.", she snickered, which in turn caused Bee to realize, that he did use a random wrench for metal... that he melted down…

*Bweeeeeeeezoooooooo!*, the yellow scout exclaimed.

* * *

 _ **{Meanwhile- Med Bay}**_

"I still can't believe, that Megatron hasn't found out yet!", Knock-Out implied, "Seriously, you betrayed him before, why would this be any different?", he snickered, while he was mixing up, blue steel, paint

"Like I said many times before, he's probably too focused on trying to out match the Autobots, to even think about the possibilities of my betrayal...", Knightwave remarked, as he analyzed Breakdown's spark chamber, which was still intact, but crudely removed from the chassis.

"So this Emberstone, is it really capable for reviving an entire planet?", the red mech asked.

Shaking his helm, "It's a device that helps speed up life itself, combining it with at of the Allspark, would in turn revive a planet, thus bring it back to livable standards.", the purple seeker explained.

"But really, by itself, could you use it to revive the dead?", Knock-Out asserted.

Putting a servo on his helm, "There is no definitive answer, and the only one who could give you the best response is Quintus Prime himself, but he's long gone.", Knightwave replied.

Grumbling, "Have those blasted Autobots given you anything? I mean, come on! How long has it been since you traded data…. Which I say was a bad deal, since the data given to you, was exactly the same as my data, about Synthetic energon.", the red doctor scoffed.

"True, the trade was a little unfair, but there were some differences.", Knightwave informed, "What differs between your data, and theirs, is that it contains the research I require, except it's incomplete…", he scowled, under his visor.

"Oh… so what part of the research does this one entail?", Knock-Out asked, crossing his arms.

Sighing, "It's about Dark Energon…", the purple seeker uttered.

"The blood of Unicron, and our Master's choice of poison.", the red mech nodded.

"Poison is the best way to describe it… it not only causes bots to slowly deteriorate, but it completely alters the spark, to the point where the one infected, can no longer enter the Allspark… Permanently.", Knightwave grumbled.

"For incomplete data, you sure know a lot about, the effects of Dark Energon.", Knock-Out remarked.

"Back during the war, I studied all of the ancient legends, Dark Energon… was something of an enigma.", the purple seeker recalled.

"How so?", the red mech questioned.

Shaking his helm, "While studying ancient records, there were many accounts of the mysterious substance, and all claimed that Dark Energon, never existed… however Alpha Trion begged to differ.", Knightwave informed.

"Whoa! Time out, you knew Alpha Trion? You know that one old bot, with the beard?!", Knock-Out asked, his black and red optics open wide.

Nodding, "Yes… we were good friends, very close… he was actually more of a sire figure. We studied and documented ancient texts together, back when Megatron had Rigor Mortis and Shockwave as his main scientists.", Knightwave explained.

"So while you were locked up in Iacon, Rigor Mortis and Shockwave, were doing all those weird experiments… that explains why others feared her…", Knock-Out implied.

"And that also explains why, I haven't a clue where her research is… she informed me about it, and educated me on the basics… but never disclosed the entirety of the knowledge… not even Alpha Trion disclosed to me any significant information… the only thing he he taught me, was the research regarding that of Dark Energon.", the purple seeker replied, his tone sounded as if he was a bit aggravated.

Putting a servo on his chin, "If you stop to think about it…", the red mech mused, "Wouldn't you think the reason for them not telling you everything, is because they were intentionally keeping you, from the truth?", Knock-Out hinted.

 _{You know he could be right… and he is speaking from experience… our Sire did that alot to us, back when we were younglings…}_ , Tap-Out informed.

Taking a deep vent, "There were many times, I thought the same thing… and in all of those times I managed to learn something new… nonetheless, we mustn't let this data get into Megatron's hands… for we both know what he will do with it.", Knightwave remarked.

"Use the Forge of Solus prime, to create his own Emberstone, and use it for his own personal agenda?", the red doctor hinted, raising a single optic ridge.

"Wait, Megatron is in possession of the Forge?", the purple mech questioned, for he wasn't even aware that such a powerful relic, is in Decepticon hands.

Crossing his arms, "Surly I thought, you knew?", Knock-Out implied.

Shaking his helm, "Not exactly, your sister has come up with the assumption that nearly half of the Nemesis' database has been removed, or relocated to another databank… as what I predicted.", Knightwave remarked.

With a humph, "Figures… well now that you know, I might as well tell you that-", the before Knock-Out could finish his sentence the med bay doors slid open, as the leader of the Decepticons, holding that of a severed arm, marched into the room, followed by that of Dreadwing.

"Good evening, Doctors.", Megatron greeted, a sinister smile stretched across his faceplate, "I require your immediate attention, so drop whatever you are toiling with, and do as I command.", he announced, standing next to a berth. Both bots looked at each other, and made there way over towards the, gunmetal mech.

"What is your biding?", Knightwave asked, as he glared at the familiar servo, that the warlord held in his sharp servos.

Grinning, "I'm quiet positive, you already know my request.", Megatron hinted, with a deep grin, embedded on his sinister faceplate.

* * *

 _ **{3 hours later- Autobots}**_

"BUMBLEBEE! I NEEDED THAT!", Ratchet's voice boomed, throughout the halls of the Autobot base.

*Bweeee zoooo dioioioioioioioi doooweeeee bzzzzzoooiiiiidooo!*, the yellow scout buzzed, as he tried to explain his simple mistake, that to him didn't seem like a big deal.

Brushing Smokescreen with her elbow, "See what did I tell you,.", Arcee chuckled, as both bots watched as Ratchet tried to take the hilt, away from Bumblebee.

Laughing, "Note to self, don't touch Ratchet's stuff.", the young mech joked.

Then, slowly making his way into the room, Optimus gave a few glances around, which caused every bot in to stop in their tracks, to play close attention, "Autobots, I have decoded the first set, of the final four coordinates.", the Prime announced, "Divide into teams, in the event that I'm able to decode another, before the first team returns.", he concluded, before walking out of the room, and back towards the main section of the base.

Looking towards the old doctor, "Hey Ratchet, I thought you and Optimus were working together, to decode the coordinates?", Arcee questioned.

"It may have seemed that way, but I was just analyzing the data…", he mumbled.

"Why do you sound so glumb, about it?", Smoke asked.

"Nothing, nothing… nothing.", he wave before snatching the hilt out of the young scout's servos, and hasty walking towards the door, "Whoever is going first, the bridge will be ready for you.", he disclosed, before leaving.

*Bweee zooooo diiiii.*, Bee buzzed, his tone rather low.

"I don't know, Bee… but I have a bad feeling about this so called research…", the blue femme sighed.

However before the moment could turn somber, Smokescreen jumped in with glee, "I'm on team one! Who's with me?", he chimed.

Snapping herself out of her glum feeling, "I'll go.", Arcee smiled.

"Alright!", the young mech cheered, "How about you Bee?", he asked, looking over at the yellow scout.

Wave his servo, *Bweee doooo zweeee.*, Bumblebee buzzed, hinting at all the metal shaving, that scattered the floor.

Ginning, "Good luck with that, Bee.", Arcee chuckled, as she walked off.

With a wink, "Yeah, good luck.", Smoke smiled, before backing up, and leaving as well.

* * *

 _ **{Meanwhile- The Nemesis}**_

Flexing his new appendage, "At long last, the power of the Primes, belongs to me!", Megatron laughed, glaring down at the red and yellow arm.

However, while the gunmetal warlord was admiring his new appendage, Knightwave was rather scorn about it. The purple seeker knew, that Megatron had questionable judgment, but this was crossing the line of extreme, for he knew who that arm belonged to. That arm belonged to that of a very wise, but also very respected Prime… someone he wish he got to know… but his passing was decades before he existed.

"By the look on your face, you probably know who's arm, that belonged to?", Knock-Out implied, which in turn caused Knightwave to drop his visor, covering his silver faceplate.

Looking down at Knock-Out, "Yes, I do know whose arm that belonged to, but I never met him… Rodimus was someone I admired, his legend is what inspired me to help others.", the purple seeker informed.

"For a seeker, you're pretty retro, too bad I'm more into modernism, then we'd probably get along better… and you'd understand my crude humor.", the red mech shrugged.

"You think I'm retro? Given that you decided to make Dreadwing, look like Cyclonus?", the purple seeker implied.

"With a modernesque approach.", Knock-Out pointed out, "If I stuck with your retro perspective, he'd be a walking block with wings, but with my intuitive redesign, he's far more less rigid, and looks more intimidating, than the description given in the ancient texts.", he concluded.

Snickering, "Says the bot, who shows no form of respect, towards Dreadwing.", Knightwave implied, crossing his arms.

Shaking his helm, "Pfft please.", the red mech scoffed, "If this is another one of your schemes, to get back at me, for what I 'supposedly' did earlier, you can shove it up your afterburner.", he jeered.

"Besides your mediocre approach, to delude me of my so called 'schemes', it has to come to my attention that you wanted to tell me something, before we were called upon by Megatron.", the purple seeker implied.

Gasping, "Mediocre?", Knock-Out said baffled.

"Knock-Out! Knightwave!", Megatron called, his gruff tone snapping both of them, out of their conversation, "Come, I may require your immediate attention.", he demanded, as he and Dreadwing began to walk out of the med bay.

Looking up at the purple seeker's visor, "I guess we'll have to continue this conversation, in due time.", the red mech jeered, walking out of the med bay.

 _{You know… you do say that a lot…},_ Tap-Out informed, in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Quit reminding me.", Knightwave grumbled, as he followed the group of Decepticons, towards an known location, on the ship.

* * *

 **End of Chapter Notes:** _Funny thing... I've been reading a lot of Transformers lore, and with some of my gained knowledge, I adjusted the original story, that I wrote back in highskool, so that's why from now on, it might take me a while to post chapters/episodes, cuz I'm gonna edit this story as I type. Also... I've been reading TF Lost Light... and boy oh boy... huehuehueheuheeheheheheheheheheheheheeeeeeekkkk *DIES*..._

 _Oh and a shout out for my commentators, thanks for your kind words! I'm revved up and ready to kick Decepticon aft!... well not really, since I'm sure I'll end up being stepped on... and yet again_ **Thanks for Reading** _! I appreciate you guys, for reading my weird story... not many would read something as long as this, so yeah Thanks a bunch!_

 _ps...IDW makes husbando bait...if you are a weeb for Transformers :/_


	19. TFP: Sparkless Ch19: Keys Part 1

**Disclaimer** **:** _I do not own any of the Transformers characters in the TFP series, nor do I claim ownership of any_ _kind towards anything trademarked. This story is just for fun, and isn't connected towards the true lore behind the franchise. The only things I own are the OCs._

 **Update Note:** _So much editing, and too much distractions... I've been trying to finish this chapter for a while, but I've been constantly busy... other that... I hope you guys enjoy this chapter/episode... there are many more to come! PS..._ Netflix will be removing TFP from their servers on August 31, and boy am I angry! I literally spent a whole afternoon ranting, cuz **I NEEDED THAT**! _I re-watch episodes to help motivate me to edit... and now I have to find some random website, to get my fill of TFP... so yeah, enjoy chapter 19!_

* * *

 **Chapter 19: Keys**

The orange skies of Egypt, was slowing turning into obsidian, as the sun sank into the horizon, then breaking the stillness of the desert, a ground bridge portal opened. Smokescreen was the first to walk out, his neon blue optics scanning the area, for any sign of human activity.

"You know, this place looks pretty abandoned.", the young mech commented, as a blue femme walked out of the portal.

"Ratchet did inform us that, the area was cleared, due to a 'potential environmental hazard'.", Arcee replied.

"Fowler right?", he asked.

With a grin, "If you think Agent Fowler, is a sandstorm, then why do you hang out with Miko?", she laughed.

Grinning back, "She really isn't that bad, she's actually pretty nice, and I still can't believe that she went through such tragic patch.", Smoke sighed.

"Well, in all due honesty… I'm glad that you came along, and became her friend… she really needs someone who could handle her personality, and I bet by now, you know it's a wild one.", Arcee smiled.

Rubbing the back of his helm, "Thanks Cee, that-that really means a lot… you see, I haven't been feeling so hot with the rest of Team Prime, it's as if I'm out of place, around the base… but now that you believe that my place is with Miko, I know that I do belong.", the young mech admitted.

"Smoke-", the blue femme began, "You're a good bot, and no matter what happens, there is always a place for you on Team Prime.", she acknowledged, only to get a big hug from Smokescreen, whose faceplate was full of gratefulness.

* * *

 **{Meanwhile- The Nemesis}**

"I figured that Megatron had a supply of Dark Energon, but I never figured that he was in possession, of a plethora of it.", Knightwave implied, as he and Dreadwing walked out of the energon storage room, and headed out towards a workshop area.

"I was given word, that the very planet below us, is Unicron himself.", Dreadwing informed.

Stopping in his tracks, "Earth… is the Chaos Bringer's prison?", the purple seeker shuddered.

Nodding, "As legend foretells, he and Galvatron were banished to the outer reaches of space, and put into a deathlike slumber.", the revived seeker foretold.

"And throughout the Eons, Galvatron became the moon, and Unicron became the Earth… entombed forever, never to bring disorder, ever again.", Knightwave implied, "Oh and… Dreadwing, I need to know something…", he added.

"What is your question?", Dreadwing replied.

"Regarding the past events… how are you fairing, with your new frame? After all, not even a few cycles after your revival, you were immediately put into action.", the purple seeker asked.

With a deep sigh, "Actually, I've been meaning to speak to you, about the strange occurrences I've been experiencing.", the revived seeker responded.

Placing down the cube of Dark Energon, that he was holding, "What's been troubling you?", Knightwave questioned, obviously intrigued by the SIC's experiences.

Placing down the cube, he was holding, "It is regarding that of the Star Saber.", he began, "-I was able to- I was able to wield the ancient weapon, it activated when I gave it a tug, out of pure curiosity.", Dreadwing admitted.

 _{Knightwave… did he just say, what I think he just said? The Star Saber only reacts to that of a Prime… and not to be judgmental, but Dreadwing is far from such a stature.}_ , Tap-Out implied.

With a deep vent, " Well, I don't know how to sum that up… anything else you can tell me?", the purple seeker asked.

"As you already know, I too have a relationship with that of the Autobots, furthermore when I came across them during the excavation of the Saber, I was introduced to one of their new members.", he informed, "When we greeted, he shook my hand… and when he did… it was as if I could see every single bots' spark.", the revived SIC implied, his expression wistful, as if that incident not only terrified him, but just the mere thought, shakes him to his very core.

Rubbing his chin, and shaking his helm, "That's very odd…", Knightwave sighed, "It's as if your very spark has been opened, or what I have read 'Supercharged'…", he mumbled.

"Supercharged?", Dreadwing asked.

Looking up at the revived seeker, "During my time at Iacon, I've discovered ancient texts, that were eons old, so old in fact they were dated back during the age of the 13. ", Knightwave explained, "I was able to decipher most of the runes, but there was one line that I was able to decode… 'Those gifted with sparks that could see into the hearts of others, will be able to see the truth behind their future, and unfold the past that which is hidden.'.", the purple seeker informed.

"Was there any explanation, behind such a phrase? For I do not follow.", Dreadwing implied.

With a slight snicker, "I don't follow either, not even Tap-Out can full understand the line, but if you were able to wield that of the Star Saber, and see the sparks of others, then we must look into the possibility, that we are dealing with something, beyond rational reasoning.", the purple seeker mused, his tone concerned.

"An explanation that will unveil itself, in due time.", the revived seeker implied, picking up the cube of Dark Energon.

"Let's just hope in the end, everything comes into fruition… for time is valuable, thus we must use it wisely, and use it to not only revive Cybertron, but those who fell during the war.", Knightwave remarked, picking up his cube, "Hope is all we can do, at this point…", he added, as he began walking down the hallway, alongside the SIC.

"Hope…", Dreadwing mumbled, _{Hope is a lie.}_ , he thought to himself, his red optics burning.

* * *

The sound of hammering could be heard echoing, through the walls of the Nemesis' workshop, as Megatron is seen wielding that of the Forge of Solus Prime. Towards the back of the room, the double doors open, revealing that of Dreadwing and Knightwave, who both casually walk in, with sealed cubes of Dark Energon, in their servos.

"Took you two long enough, our master is almost done with whatever he's forging.", a sly voice called, as both seekers looked over to see Knock-Out, with his arms crossed, "What, were you two having a private conversation, without me?", the red mech asked, his tone rather cynical, obviously hinting that he was annoyed with them leaving without him, and Knightwave's inconsiderate behavior.

Looking down at the red doctor, "Then, the refined Dark Energon is no longer necessary.", Dreadwing remarked, but just before he was able to walk away, the sound of sinister laughter echoed through the air.

"Don't be so rash, Dreadwing.", Megatron smirked, "I'll be requiring the refined Dark Energon, to put the finishing touches, on the weapon that will defeat Optimus Prime.", he chuckled, unveiling a sinister blade, it's overall raw appearance, vibrated the air with a neon purple glow.

 _{He's-He's insane! He made his own Star Saber!},_ Tap-Out uttered, her trembling voice, echoing through Knightwave's conscience.

Grinning, "Knightwave.", the warlord called, "The energon, would you please?", he implied, outstretching the servo, that once belonged to Rodimus Prime.

Optics burning, behind his visor, the purple seeker hesitantly hands over the cube he was holding, not ever withdrawing his glare from the gunmetal mech's face. Gazing down at the blacked out visor, Megatron gave one last glare, before opening up the cube, and pouring the contents onto the blade, causing it sizzle. The sword began to vibrate to life, as the refined Dark Energon was absorbed into the blade, that was already crafted using that of a chunk of Dark Energon. The very room began to shake, as the sword surged with unbelievable energy, the warlord laughed, as he could feel the sword's power flowing through him, activating the Dark Energon, that already resided within him.

Laughing, "With this kind of power, the war has already shifted to my favor!", Megatron exclaimed, his optics burning an unnatural purple.

 _{We need to warn Optimus!},_ Tap-Out snapped, her tone full of fear.

Dreadwing and Knightwave, just stood there, it was as if they were locked into place, their optics never leaving the sinister sword. The revived seeker felt a wave of strong emotions, that could only be described as indigent, for his very fists were shaking, not out of fear, but that of self hate.

 _{If it weren't for me aiding Megatron, in retrieving that arm, then this would never have transpired.},_ Dreadwing sneered to himself, feeling guilty that he took Megatron's deal… but right now, deactivating Starscream was the least of his concerns.

Knock-Out however was rather awestruck, if the forge had the ability to create such a blade, then it should be able to revive Breakdown, and that was something that was long overdue. The red mech couldn't help, but think if Knightwave was intentionally delaying Breakdown's revival, he obviously knows more than he's leading on, and his sister was no exception. Tap-Out shares the same frame, and processor, thus she has to know something, and if she does, then this does prove that Knightwave, is hiding something.

Breaking the moment, the workshop's doors slide open, as Soundwave makes his way into the room, his visor displaying a beacon, "You have picked up an Iacon signal?", Megatron implied.

Thinking for a second, "The Autobots must be in possession, of another set of coordinates.", the warlord sneered, "I want a global sweep, if an anomaly gets detected, I want a group sent to investigate", the gunmetal mech commanded, as he stormed out of the room, _{This will give me a chance, to test out the strength, of my new saber… the Dark Star Saber!}_ , Megatron thought, chuckling to himself.

* * *

While Megatron stormed out of the room, Soundwave turned towards Dreadwing, ignoring that of his brother, "I am needed on the bridge? Very well.", the revived seeker nodded, as he and the silent seeker, walk out of the room.

However, before walking out Soundwave turned his helm around, to face Knock-Out, "You don't have to be so pushy, about it.", the red mech remarked, as the Communications Officer left the room, "Come on Knightwave, we have to tend to some Eradicons, we were injured in a cave collapse… at the site…", he grumbled, just the thought of being out on the field made him quiver.

 _{This will give us the chance, to contact the Autobots.},_ Tap-Out implied.

"Yes it will, and a chance to exchange data.", Knightwave replied, "Though incomplete, your assessment on Synthetic Energon, is an improvement compared to that of the current formula, and I believe Ratchet will be able to complete it.", he added.

{In due time?}, Tap-Out chimed, and if she could express herself, she'd be smirking.

"In due time.", the purple seeker repeated.

* * *

 _ **{Arcee and Smokescreen}**_

The sound of laughter echoed throughout the, ancient sand covered ruins, as two figures walk out from what seemed to be an ancient tomb.

"-and that's how me and Drift became friends.", Smokescreen chuckled, his blue optics filled with joy.

"Enemies at first, only to become close friends… over a dispute about Ultra Magnus' shoulder pads….", Arcee snickered, shaking her helm, as she looked down at the Omega keys.

"Yeah well… our friendship met a bittersweet end, when we were assigned different guard posts…", the young mech sighed, "While I was stationed at Iacon, he- he was stationed at Tyger Pax… and not even a few solar cycles later, I was given word that Megatron had reduced the city to ruins…", Smokescreen lamented, his blue optics dimming.

Putting a servo, on the young mech's shoulder, "I understand how you feel… I've lost my fair share of partners, and both were my closest of friends…", the blue femme sighed, remembering both Tailgate, and Cliffjumper, "But the best thing that we can do, is continue forward, and use their memory as motivation.", she smiled.

Smiling back, "You're a good friend Cee… though you're no Drift, at least I know, that you got my back.", Smokescreen praised, giving Arcee a little nudge.

Arcee started into the neon blue, of Smokescreen's optics, something about them was pure, in a sense, something that she recognized… something that both of her former partners shared… spirit.

"Ratchet.", the blue femme com-linked, "Open a Ground-", she suddenly paused, as she glared up at a looming shadow. Arcee's sudden pause, made the young mech look up, and before them stood that of the sinister warlord.

In a malice tone, "The relic, now!", Megatron sneered, his optics burning an intense neon purple, that matched that of blade, he gripped in his new servo.

"Two against one.", Smokescreen jumped, as if ready to fight, "We can take him.", he remarked.

Grabbing hold of the young mech's forearm, "Smoke, don't be a fool!", Arcee snapped, her blue and pink optics flaring.

However, just as the young mech was about to concede to the blue femme's pleading optics, Megatron had no patience for the Autobots, and jumped into the air, and swung his blade. A bright purple energy wave shot from the sword, making a wailing screech, that cut through the dusk sky.

Smokescreen immediately grabbed onto Arcee, as if to brace for the impact of the energy, however just before the wave came down, a blue streak cut through the energy blast, causing a massive explosion. The dusk sky, lit up as if it were morning, and an thunderous clap vibrated through the ruins, causing some sand to fall on top of the two Autobots.

Realizing that they were okay, the young mech began to look around, only for him to notice, in the distance, a figure was walking towards them, "Optimus?!", he gasped.

"Both of you, into the ground bridge!", the Prime ordered, as he approached the cackling warlord. Both Arcee and Smokescreen, gave a few glances, before they ran over towards the bridge, and vanished into the green and blue vortex, leaving Optimus behind.

"Just the mech I was waiting for.", Megatron snickered, "And I thought I had to send a messenger.", he laughed, noticing that Optimus was eyeing his blade.

"I bet you're wondering, what this is?", the gunmetal mech hinted, lifting his new blade, while also trying to get Optimus to notice his new appendage.

Optics opening wide, "By the Allspark, Megatron, what have you done?!", the Prime spoke, as he not only noticed the blade, but also the arm.

"This.", the warlord chuckled, "I find it affords me certain advantages, such as the use of the Forge of Solus Prime.", he grinned, admiring his new blade, "My first creation, fashioned from the very blood of Unicron.", he informed, as the blade glinted from the setting sun, "I call it the Dark Star Saber, slayer of Primes, if you will.", he implied.

Optimus however didn't respond, all he did was grip the Star Saber, and began to circle Megatron, knowing that once he is done monologuing, the battle between good and evil, will begin. As the Prime circled around the warlord, he noticed that the purple glow, that the Dark Star Saber gave off, began to glow brighter, as well as Megatron's optics.

"At last we take our rightful places, Optimus, as gods! Wielding the power of the cosmos!", the gunmetal mech announced, outstretching his arms in an attempt to appear godlike.

"I am but a soldier, Megatron, and you are a prisoner of your own twisted delusions!", Optimus responded, to the warlord's naiveness.

Shaking his helm, "You won't be saying that, when I am one who will revive Cybertron!", Megatron roared, as he ran towards Optimus, his arms above his helm, cleaving his sword down, upon the Star Saber.

"Tell me Optimus, what would do, if I revived our homeworld? If I brought back, that which you killed!", he laughed, while the Prime tried his best to fend off Megatron's crushing force.

Pushing the warlord back, "I wasn't the one who started this conflict, but by the Matrix, I will end it if I must.", Optimus remarked, spinning around and swinging the Star Saber, causing a wave of energy to be shot at the gunmetal mech, who without hesitation swung his blade, and cut the energy in half.

"Tsk, Tsk, Tsk you were always so pretentious, but what you fail to realize is, that I will always have the upper hand, while you grapple, with what remains", Megatron chuckled, as he hammered his sword down, upon the Star Saber, sending blue and purple sparks, as both Prime and warlord clash.

"What you have in numbers, will never compare to bond that my fellow Autobots share.", Optimus vented, as he struggled to keep from falling back, "Thus you will never, truly win!", he yelled, pushing with all his might, but just as he thought, he had the upper hand, a screech came from his sword.

That was when Optimus noticed that the Star Saber began to wain… for many cracks began to form, as the Dark Star Saber, began to slice its way through, the metal. Then, in a still moment, the Star Saber shattered, sending many glistening shards, through the air, only for them to fade away into a black mist. Optimus' optics widened, as Megatron kicked him in the mouthplate, sending the Prime flying a new ways away.

Chuckling, "And so it ends, just as I envisioned.", Megatron jeered, aiming the pointed end of the Dark Star Saber, at Optimus' throat, "Your head would prove to be, an excellent trophy!", he grinned, lifting his blade into the air.

Then, in one swift movement, the gunmetal warlord, slammed down his saber, sending sand flooming into the air, and when the dust settled, Optimus didn't have a single scratch on him. Looking down at his servos, the Prime was just a surprised as Megatron, but just as he was about to stand up, the gunmetal mech, slammed down his sword again, but yet again nothing happened. In a frantic attempt to deactivate his enemy, Megatron continued to pound Optimus, with his saber, but still to no avail.

In the midst of the it all, Optimus spotted something, a servo reaching from under the sandy ground, that was grasping onto his one of his pedes. Just then, the face of Smokescreen peeped out from the ground, a grin clear on his faceplate. Megatron suddenly stopped his attacks, as he too noticed the mischievous young mech, who began to laugh.

"You!", the gunmetal mech sneered, is purple optics flaring.

"Sorry to inform you, but Optimus is nobody's trophy.", Smokescreen stated, as Optimus got up onto his pedes, and bolted towards the warlord, pushing him out of the way, giving both Autobots time to run towards an opened Ground Bridge.

Gaining back his composure, "No!", Megatron exploded, swinging his saber, and sending an energy blast, that phased right through the young mech.

"Missed me! Missed me! Now you gotta kiss me!... NOT REALLY!", Smokescreen laughed, running into the ground bridge.

Stopping his pursuit, "Run, Optimus, run!", Megatron sneered, "Those trinkets from Iacon will not save you, not when I am the one who will revive Cybertron!", he yelled, his voice loud enough, to be heard within the closing portal.

* * *

 _ **{Autobot Base}**_

"Hey! What was that For!?", Smokescreen yelped, rubbing the side of his helm.

Sneering, "You could've gotten yourself deactivated! And just when I thought you, had some kind of common sense!", Arcee yelled.

"Look Cee, I don't understand what the big deal is-", the young mech began, only to be cut off.

"-You vanished in the middle of bridging, and the next thing I know, you're walking though it with Optimus, now you tell me, what the big deal is?", the blue femme argued, putting her servos on her hips.

Lifting his wrist, "Look, I had the phase shifter with me.", Smoke displayed, showing every bot in the room, the device, "And I figured that, in the worst case scenario, Optimus would require some help, so I decided to go back, and see how the fight was going out.", he explained, "And just when I thought I wasn't needed, the worst came to pass, and Megatron shattered the Star Saber, and right then I knew I had to jump into the action.", he implied.

Crossing her arms, "But you should have told me your plan, it's called protocall.", Arcee scolded.

Approaching the two bots, "Though his decision to not inform you, of his plan, Smokescreen has done a valiant duty today, and I commend him on his unconventional actions.", Optimus acknowledged, giving the young mech a small smile, "However, I advise that next time, you take part to inform your superiors, before taking action.", he remarked, before walking over towards the monitor screens, to continue his decoding of the Iacon coordinates.

"See, Optimus agrees… well with both of us.", the young mech chimed, his optics glowing a victorious blue, as he gave the blue femme a little nudge.

Rolling her optics, "It may have been a victory for you, but Optimus lost the one thing, that could lead the whole team to victory.", the blue femme glared, "The balance of power has been shifted, can that Phase Shifter split mountains? Because without the Star Saber, Megatron could do, just that.", Arcee implied, as she simply walked away, from the saddened mech, and headed towards Ratchet, who seemed as if he was concentrating on something, rather puzzling.

"Let me guess, Knightwave tipped you off, about Megatron?", she questioned.

Not even looking at the blue femme, "Shouldn't you be preparing, for the next set of coordinates?", the old doctor implied, his optics never leaving the monitor.

"What data did he trade you, this time?", she persisted.

Mumbling to himself, Ratchet knew that if he didn't say something, Arcee would just end up asking the same questions, over and over again, until he finally gives, "He trade me back the incomplete Synthetic Energon data… though thanks to Tap-Out's analysis of the current formula, I will be able to conduct experiments, to complete it.", he informed.

"And what data, did you trade?", Arcee asked.

With a sigh, "Just the research Optimus was given, by Alpha Trion, and Rigor Mortis.", Ratchet remarked.

Crossing her arms, "You didn't give them, anything else? Like that prophecy about, Knightwave being some sort of key, to something important, in the revival of Cybertron?", the blue femme questioned.

Shaking his helm, "A prophecy shouldn't be taken lightly, nor should it be disclosed to anyone, even if they were mentioned… or is the main focus of said prophecy.", Ratchet implied.

"Are you sure, it's a good idea, to keep this detail from him?", she asked.

"It wasn't my idea, it was Optimus', and he didn't give me a reason.", Ratchet answered, "Now if you don't mind, I've got some important tests to conduct.", the old doctor remarked, waving his servo, as a way to shoo off the two wheeler.

Getting the message, Arcee turned heel, and began to walk away, before she was stopped by Smokescreen, whose face appeared to have the expression of regret, "Look Arcee-", he spoke, putting a servo behind his helm, but before he could apologize.

"Before you say anything, Smoke, thanks for saving Optimus…", she thanked, "I believe we are better off with him, then we were with the Star Saber anyways.", she admitted before walking passed the young mech.

Not even paying attention, to his surroundings, Smokescreen was suddenly caught off guard, *Bweeee zooo dioioioioi dooweeee.*, Bumblebee buzzed, giving Smokescreen a little fright.

"Wait, when did you get here?!", Smoke asked, startled.

Bumblebee's optic ridges defined his overall expression, *Bweeeee zoooo dioioioioio dweee dweee bzzzzz ooooo!*, the yellow scout buzzed, walking away.

"Hey wait!", the young mech called, "You were here the whole time?", he persisted, following the scout.

* * *

 _ **{Meanwhile- The Nemesis}**_

The automatic doors, of the Nemesis' bridge slide open, as the revived Dreadwing walked down the center aisle, towards the brooding warlord, whose faceplace had a large, menacing grin.

"You have summoned me, my liege?", the maroon seeker asked.

"Why yes, Dreadwing, I require your full assessment, regarding that of Knightwave's loyalty.", Megatron implied, "For Soundwave, has been telling me a many things, and I want information first hand, from someone he trusts.", he remarked.

"Knightwave's loyalty is with the Decepticons, and so is Tap-Out's, though she may be an Autobot at spark, she shows no sign of betraying the cause anytime soon.", Dreadwing reported.

"And what of Knock-Out's? Can he be trusted?", the warlord questioned.

Nodding his horned helm, "He too is loyal to the cause, but he seems too focused on reviving his former partner.", the revived SIC informed.

"I am quiet aware of his tenacity towards, the revival of, his beloved partner. Nevertheless, I want you to keep a close eye on them, and report to me any strange activity.", the warlord implied.

Bowing, "As you wish, my master.", Dreadwing replied.

"Good, you many return to you duties.", the warlord dismissed, "Soundwave.", he called, "Have you detected any anomalies?", he questioned, as Dreadwing exited the bridge.

Megatron's optics, suddenly open wide, "You've discovered, a set of 4 Iacon codes?!", he questioned, "But how?", he insisted.

"They were hidden, within our database… how interesting.", the gunmetal mech sneered, "They must've been encrypted to the point they were undetectable, by our Iacon locator…", he mused.

That was when Soundwave, displayed an image of the Decepticon database, and highlighted an area in red, contrasting from the purple, "That explains why the Autobots, are able to track our every move… but how did such a bug enter our system? You don't believe it has something to do with, your younger sibling?", the warlord speculated, causing the silent seeker to nod his helm.

"If that is so, then we must assume that Dreadwing is also involved, for he seems keen on defending him.", Megatron remarked, shaking his helm, as he gazed out of the bridges widow, "Despite this inconvenience, I trust that you have been making progress pinpointing the location, of the Autobot base?", Megatron asked, not even looking towards Soundwave.

With an evil grin, "Good, keep up the surveillance, once the base is discovered, nothing will stop us, from reducing it to ashes.", he chuckled.

* * *

 _ **{Meanwhile- Med Bay}**_

"Tell me Knightwave, what kind of data did the Autobots give you?", Knock-Out asked, while the purple seeker installed Breakdown's rebuilt spark chamber, into his reconstructed chassis.

With a sigh, "It's research regarding how to revive deactivated sparks… but there is something missing from the data…", he implied.

"Wait, do you mean to tell me, that you can finally revive Breakdown?!", the red mech gasped.

Looking at the white face, of the surprised doctor, "Theoretically I am able to, but every detail is needed for it to work… and there is an empty space of missing data.", Knightwave explained.

"There has to be something, you can do to find out what's missing.", Knock-Out beseeched.

"It may take some time, to analyze the entirety of this segment, but this is my part of the deal… and I am obligated to finish my end of the bargain, even at times when your attitude, has some questionable motives.", the purple seeker remarked.

"Our deal won't be completely done, until you and Tap-Out are in separate bodies.", the red doctor reminded, "So until then, you and my eccentric attitude, will have to tolerate each other.", he grinned.

 _{At least he acknowledges, that he's annoying.}_ , Tap-Out snickered.

"Glad to hear you say that, now take that tolerance and start working on the rest of the frame. You don't want Breakdown to wake up and realize he has no limbs, do you?", Knightwave quipped.

"Yeah, we wouldn't want that… and besides this gives me the chance to actually buff and polish his armor.", Knock-Out grinned, recalling how many scratches, and dents his conjunx had.

Once the red mech walks away, _{So, what's the plan? How are we supposed to find this 'Nexus'?}_ Tap-Out asked.

"I'm not sure… that's why I didn't say anything about it, or your brother would just keep asking questions.", Knightwave remarked.

 _{But calling it missing data, will only have the same effect…},_ she responded.

"I'm quite aware of that, nonetheless Ratchet informed me that the Nexus is required for this research to work… but he hasn't the slightest idea of what it is.", the purple seeker explained.

 _{I'm thinking, that there is a code hidden within the data of the other segments… if we just do a sweep of the already collected data, we might be able to solve this dilemma.},_ Tap-Out advised.

"But that will require, a magnitude of concentration… we will need to amplify our processor speed, for better results.", Knightwave informed.

 _{I know, but we can't risk syncing with the warship, unless we link up with another bot… and I know for a fact Knock-Out is out of the question, which in turn leaves Dreadwing.}_ , she elaborated.

"That is if, he is willing to cooperate.", the purple seeker pointed out.

 _{Oh, he will cooperate, I'll make sure he does.}_ , Tap-Out snickered.

"Please don't… you're sounding like Knock-Out.", Knightwave joked, walking out of the med bay, and heading towards Dreadwing's private quarters.

* * *

 _ **{Meanwhile- Autobot Base}**_

"So there I am, alone with my worst enemy, locked inside this vault, when out of the blue he makes a comment about Ultra Magnus' shoulder pads.", Smokescreen laughed, "He was all like, 'Though I may not be one to poke fun at others, those shoulder pads make me wonder… how do they not cause such a lean mech, to topple over like a top heavy Dinobot?'.", the young mech chuckled, trying his best to copy his friend's unique accent, which made Bumblebee buzz with glee.

Walking into the conversation, "Telling Bee about your friend, Drift?", Arcee smiled.

"Uh yeah, I'm at the part when we got trapped in a vault, and how we ended up friends.", Smokescreen grinned.

*Bweee zooodiiii oooodooozzzzzdooo!*, Bee buzzed, his blue optics glowing happily.

With a little snicker, "Yeah, Ultra Magnus does defy gravity, with those shoulder pads.", the blue femme smiled.

"Yap, yap, yap!", Ratchet called, not even looking in the group's direction, "You shouldn't talk about your superiors that way, even if they aren't here.", the old doctor remarked.

"Come on Ratch-", the young mech tried to make a comment, before Optimus cut him off.

"-I have decoded, another set of coordinates.", Optimus announced, as his fellow Autobots took attention, "Ratchet, ready the ground bridge.", he implied.

Getting up from the crate, he was sitting on, "Last one to the Omega key, has to scrub the Energon tanks for a week.", Smokescreen jested, rushing over towards the ground bridge.

Shrugging, *Bweee diii zooooiii?*, Bee asked.

"Yeah, me neither.", Arcee responded.

"Arcee, Bumblebee, prepare to roll out.", Optimus addressed.

"Wait!?", the young mech paused, looking over towards the Prime, "What about me? I mean, what if Megatron comes back with his new sword?", he mused.

"In the event of Megatron discovering the key's location, the ground bridge will be put on stand by, if the circumstance deems it necessary.", Optimus explained, "In the meantime, you will remain here in the event, I'm able to decode a subsequent database, or if your assistance is required, in the retrieval of this current key.", he remarked.

"And by the way!", Ratchet hollered, "I need you to go, and pick up the children! Miko specifically, since Jack and Raf will be arriving later, with .", he informed.

"What?!", Smokescreen questioned.

"I thought you liked Miko?", Arcee crossed her arms.

"I do, but I want to be out there, with you guys…", he whined.

*Bweee deee dooo.*, Bee shrugged.

With a little vent, "Curbside duty… more like lame-side boredom.", the young mech grumbled.

Giving him a little pat, on the back, "Think about it this way, at least you're not scrubbing the energon tanks.", the blue femme winked, walking over towards the ground bridge.

 _{Might as well be, given that the very fate of Cybertron is at stake, and I won't even be here to kick Decepticon aft…}_ , Smokescreen thought, his optics dimming to a darkened blue.

* * *

 _ **{Meanwhile- The Nemesis}**_

Sitting down on his berth, Dreadwing dwelled in deep thought, thinking about all the events, that came to pass. Something about how everything that had transpired, puzzled the revived seeker, but yet he couldn't think of anything to explain it. However, there was one feeling that he could identify, and that was regret. He regretted greatly, the moment he uncovered that tomb, to the point he felt as if he wasn't worth anything, at this moment revenge was nothing of his interest. Revenge is what got him into this mess, and probably one of the main reasons, Primus rejected his spark.

"How could I be so compulsive!?", the maroonish violet seeker spat, slamming his fist into the berth, "Supercharged spark or not, I went against my instincts, and acted selfishly… I am not worthy of being a Decepticon, all I am is a traitor…", he wept.

 _{~But you are a worthy warrior~},_ a strange voice, manifested out of nowhere.

Immediately, Dreadwing stood up from his seat, and began to look around the room, which started to dim, "Whose presence is this?", he questioned, looking around.

That was when, the revived seeker felt a cold spike, rush through him, and an ominous white glow, appeared in front of the exit, _{~To see passed that which is hidden, one must listen to the voices of the past.~}_ , the voice entailed.

Dreadwing's red optics widened, at the statement, recalling what Knightwave had told about Supercharged Sparks, "What do you mean?", he insisted.

The glow vanished, _{~The future is built from the past, however one must forge its destiny~},_ the voice faded.

"Forge… Destiny…", the revived seeker mumbled, then his optics suddenly flashed, "The Forge of Solus Prime!", he blurted, immediately rushing towards the automatic doors, however when the door opened, a familiar figure was standing behind it.

"Tap-Out? I wasn't expecting you.", Dreadwing implied, looking down at the red femme.

"I wasn't expecting me either, Knightwave just switch…", she chuckled, rubbing the back of her helm.

"Strange, is it not?", the SIC grinned, "Now, what seems to be the reason, behind your unexpected visit?", he asked.

Putting on a serious face, "We need your help.", Tap-Out addressed, "I believe that in order to solve an issue, we are having with the research, is to increase our processing speed… and in order to do that, we need another bot, to help share the workload.", she explained.

Bowing his helm, in a formal fashion, "I am in your debt, for reviving me.", he replied, "Thus, I will aid you, anyway I can.", he remarked.

Smiling, "Glad to hear it!", she remarked, _{Though it wasn't me who revived you...}_ , she thought, as she turned around, "Uh, follow me.", the red femme implied.

 _{I know what you're thinking, but you have to understand, we are of one form, thus it is alright for him to perceive us as the same.},_ Knightwave commented, trying his best to explain, why Dreadwing would agree to follow.

On the way over to the med bay, Dreadwing paused, "Mind me asking, what is the data you seek?", the revived seeker asked.

"I will inform you, once we reach our destination.", the red femme replied.

"I understand.", Dreadwing acknowledged, knowing that she is right to be suspicious of their surroundings, for who know if Soundwave is listening.

* * *

 _ **{Meanwhile}**_

The sound of heavy pedes, stomp across the metal floor, as a silver seeker storms into a dim room, that served as a control center.

"Alright, who has been using using up all the Red Energon!?", Starscream nagged, displaying a nearly empty canister of the red fluid, "There is barely enough left, for a single dosage!", he growled.

"Don't look at me, I haven't used any of it, since the move… though choosing this place, was probably not a good idea…I mean look at all the rust…", Thundercracker rolled his optics, his tone rather whiny.

"Spare me your melodramatic comments…", the silver seeker grumbled, "Where's Skywarp?", he sneered.

Shrugging, "Beats me, he left not too long ago… well not too long ago in Skywarp terms, means a long time ago.", Thundercracker sighed.

Scowling at the blue clone, "Where did he go? Out on one, of his 'Midnight flights' again?", Starscream questioned.

Tilting his helm, "One get a watch, it's the afternoon…and two, I am too busy trying to, figure out this strange data file, to even care.", Thundercracker remarked.

"Data file? What Data file?", the silver seeker implied, walking over towards his clone.

"Figures, that you of all bots, weren't the first to try and hack into the Harbinger's mainframe… well this half of the ship's mainframe, that is.", the blue seeker commented, only to get a growl in response, "Ok… well the data file I am trying to decrypt, is littered with a strange type of coding.", he informed.

"Hm, I've seen this before… appears to be in ancient Cybertronian, but-", Starscream remarked, only to be cut off.

"-but you have no idea, how to read the code.", Thundercracker smirked, "I am your clone, I do share your memories… though I have a better personality.", he chimed.

Sneering, "Just try and decode that file, and report to me when Skywarp returns.", Starscream ordered, before walking away.

Once the silver seeker, was out of the room, the blue clone walked over to what seemed to be a world map, similar that to the Autobots, and activated the com-link, "Any luck, on finding out that anomaly?", he asked, his voice low.

A snicker came from the monitor, [Autobots, being Autobots.], Skywarp respond, [I'm spying on them right now, Arcee, and Bumblebee.], he chuckled.

"Good, keep your presence hidden, and report to me any useful information.", Thundercracker implied.

[You got it.], the purple clone replied, "Though, I'd really enjoy causing some chaos…", he snickered, before immediately vanishing, from his hiding spot.

* * *

 _ **{Meanwhile- Autobots}**_

The air around that small stone quarry was light, and brisk, as the sound of rocks being moved, echoed, through the trees, that circled the carved out area. There was a small dock, that appeared to not have been used in years, that also goes for the quarry, as it too was abandoned for some time.

*Bweee diii doooo zooo?*, Bumblebee buzzed, while he lifted stone after stone.

"The indicator doesn't lie Bee.", Arcee responded, "Just keep digging, we'll find the relic before Megatron has a chance, to launch an attack.", she implied, and just she finished her sentence, she spotted what seemed to be, an Iacon capsule, "Bingo!", the blue femme exclaimed, moving the rocks away.

Once uncovered, the yellow scout helped, the blue femme, pull the strange looking capsule out of the ground, moving it over, so they could open it. With minimal effort, the top of the capsule opened, as the key slowly rose out of the container.

*Bweee zoooo dididididdididoooo.*, Bee buzzed.

"Yeah, just two more keys, and Cybertron will be revived-", suddenly the blue femme was sent flying, only to crash into the stony wall, behind her.

*Bweee dooo zoo-!", the yellow scout exclaimed, only for the same thing to happen to him, as well.

Getting up on her pedes, "Bumblebee, are you alright!?", Arcee gasped, only to hear the sound of maniacal laughter, echo through the quarry, "Wait, I know that laugh…", she sneered.

*Bweezooo?*, Bee buzzed, rubbing his helm.

Then, walking out from behind a large stone chunk, a pitch black, and purple seeker, stood with his arms crossed, "Don't compare me to that, coward.", the seeker growled, glaring at the two Autobots.

"You weren't lying, when you said Starscream cloned himself…", Arcee commented, glaring back at Skywarp.

*Bweee zoooo dooooiiii.*, Bumblebee implied.

"Why are you here?", Arcee questioned.

Leaning one side, "What do you think, I'm here for? To reveal my evil plan?", the purple clone jested, chuckling slightly. Then in a flash, Skywarp appeared next to the yellow scout, and sent him flying, towards the opposite end the quarry.

"Bumblebee-!", Arcee yelled, only for a knee to get jabbed into her side, a spike of unrelenting pain, pierced her frame.

The blue femme was slammed into the ground, as a heavy strut put the pressure down, on her aching side. Arcee began to vent fast, trying her best to get off the ground, but the more she struggled, the more weight was applied.

Chuckling, "What, were you expecting? I'm nothing like Starscream, little less, as light as him.", Skywarp implied, leaning in on his strut, causing the stone floor to crack.

Grinning, "Yeah, but you're still as naive as him.", the blue femme vented.

"What!?", the purple clone exclaimed, looking back towards the relic, only to notice that it was missing. Growling, "You think you're so smart, don't you?", he sneered, "Well we'll see how smart you are, without a spark!", he yelled, lifting one of his sharp servos into the air, ready to strike.

However, just before Skywarp could finish the job, blaster fire came out of nowhere, shearing through the purple clone's right arm, severing it. Skywarp's red optics began to shake, as shock set in, within this moment of pause, Arcee was able to break free, pushing the terrified seeker, off of her.

The purple clone, let out a blood curdling scream, as reality just slapped him across the faceplate, "My arm! Look what you've done to my arm!", he yelled, turning around to notice that Optimus was standing next to Arcee, who was gripping her side. "Prime…", Skywarp sneered, his red optics burning.

"Deliver this message to Starscream.", Optimus announced, "You have been warned.", he pointed.

Huffing, _{Scrap, I'm losing too much energon, to even move… little less use the Red Energon…},_ he sneered, "You win this time Prime, but next time, I will be the one, who gouges out your spark!", Skywarp yelled, immediately snapping out of his shock, scooping up his severed arm, transformed, and flew away.

"Didn't he hear, your warning?", Arcee commented, watching as the seeker vanished into the clouds.

Squinting his optics, at the disappearing clone, "Starscream's clones, seem to have a mind of their own. Skywarp has proven that even though, he is a clone, he is his own individual.", Optimus asserted.

"Like that research, you and Ratchet were discussing, not to long ago?", the blue femme questioned.

Nodding, "Indeed, however recently, Ratchet had discovered that the research was missing nearly half of its data.", the Prime informed.

"Wait, missing data? I thought that segment was complete?", she asked, obviously intrigued with the research.

"In all likelihood, the other half of the data, is stored within the half of the Harbinger.", Optimus implied.

"Well, while you decode the next set of coordinates, why not send us to retrieve the data?", Arcee remarked.

Looking down at the injured femme, "Not until, Ratchet has examined you, for repair.", the Prime stated, before turning around, and walking towards the ground bridge, with Bumblebee standing next to it.

"Right, I nearly forgot…", she mumbled to herself, as she gripped her side, {Not again...}, she sneered, before following the Prime.

*Bweee zoooo diiii?*, Bumblebee asked, as Arcee passed.

"No really, I'm fine.", she asserted, slowly walking with the young scout, through the bridge.

* * *

 _ **{Meanwhile}**_

The late afternoon sun, beamed its orange glow, down on Jasper High, as young teens, rush out of the front doors, walking out of the main entrance, was Miko as she lazily walked down the stairs. It was exam week, and the young teen, was feeling as if she just read an entire book, in 5 hours. Nonetheless, summer vacation will soon be, around the corner, and she couldn't wait to spend the whole summer with the Autobots… that is if her host parents, don't decide to drop her from the exchange student program.

Just the thought of returning to Japan, made Miko wonder, if she could still visit the bots, they do have a ground bridge, which means she still may have a chance. However, the young teen had grown a liking towards Jasper, many memories were made there, and some she wished didn't happen.

"Bulkhead…", she mumbled, "Sometimes, I forget that you're gone…", she sighed, only to hear the sound of a revving engine, drive up.

"Hey kid, what's up with the long face?", Smokescreen joked, "The exams aren't that bad, are they?", he asked, noticing a few tears falling from the teen's eyes.

Sniffling, Miko, rushed over towards the white sports car, and opened the passenger side door, and sat down, with her knees to her chest. The young mech couldn't help, but wonder what was wrong, Miko was literally weeping, and he had no idea what was bothering her.

"Look Miko, I can't help you, if you don't tell me what's wrong.", Smoke insisted, his tone rather gentle.

Shuffling in her seat, "I miss Bulkhead…", she sighed, "Just take me home… Jack and Raf won't be coming to base anyways…", she murmured, as the young mech drove towards Miko's home, however the drive there was silent, so silent it made the young mech, want to comfort the hurt teen.

Contemplating, "I know… I know that I'm not supposed to be telling you this, but…", Smokescreen hushed, wondering if he shouldn't say anything, "Miko, there might be a way to bring Bulkhead, back to life.", he implied.

Immediately, snapping out of her daze, "Wait, for real for real!?", she exclaimed.

"Yeah, for real for real!", he chimed, "Not to long ago, Ratchet and Optimus made a deal with a 'Con, who had Spark Revival research, that once combined made an image of an ancient artifact known as the Emberstone.", he informed.

"Emberstone? You mean like the Philosopher's stone!?", she smiled.

"Philosopher's stone?", Smoke asked.

Shaking with excitement, "I did a history report about it, and it is said, to not only turn metals into gold, but also revive the dead, and giving those who bear it, immortality!", she explained, "This is so epic! Why wasn't I told of this already?", she questioned.

With a sigh, "To be completely honest with you, the others were against me telling you… they thought it will give you false hope… but I know for a fact, that they will find this Emberstone, and use it to revive not only Bulkhead, but Cybertron as well.", he asserted, driving up to Miko's host parents house.

"This is awesome news, I can't wait to tell Wheeljack!", she exclaimed, unbuckling her seat belt, but just before she could it locked, "Hey, what's the big deal?", she nagged.

"Miko, promise me you won't say anything, you can't be sharing this information to anyone, or- or I'd get in really deep slag.", Smoke pleaded.

Patting the dashboard, "I will…", Miko sighed.

Unbuckling her seat belt, Smokescreen let the young teen out, and watched her as she walked inside her house. Once she was inside, white sports car drove off, heading back towards base, the only thing on his mind, was collecting those keys. Little did he know, a looming threat was flying over head, as Laserbeak soared through the clouds, watching.

* * *

 _ **End of chapter note:** I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, and _**Thank you for reading** _! I don't have much to say in this note, cuz I'm currently working on Ch20! and let me tell you, you guys are gonna hate me... or not, depends on wut you guys like... so yeah, just give me about a week or so, and you'll see for yourselves._


	20. TFP: Sparkless Ch20: Keys Part 2

**Disclaimer** **:** _I do not own any of the Transformers characters in the TFP series, nor do I claim ownership of any_ _kind towards anything trademarked. This story is just for fun, and isn't connected towards the true lore behind the franchise. The only things I own are the OCs._

 **Update Note:** _This is part 2 of 'Keys', since this segment is very long, and I decided to break it into 3 parts. I had to separate this massive chapter, cuz it's way to long to be put into one chapter, also this gives me time to edit the rest of part 3, which I gotta say is HARD to do, since the notebook I originally wrote this story in, is nearing the last few pages, so the writing is not only very small, but smudged in some places. So please enjoy this chapter, and I'll be posting part 3, probably around the same time span it took me to type this chapter._

* * *

 **Chapter 20: Keys {Part 2}**

The small space, of the med bay storage closet, gave Dreadwing a tinge of claustrophobia, for the many piles of empty artificial spark chambers, gave the already unpleasant feeling, a dark tone.

"Why have you chosen, such a place, as our meeting area?", the revived seeker asked.

"Wasn't my idea, Knightwave was the one who chose this closet… and I too question his decision.", Tap-Out mumbled.

 _{Alright, time to switch.},_ Knightwave notified, a tinge annoyed.

Looking at Tap-Out's fixed expression, "Does he request control, of your shared form?", the revived seeker asked.

Nodding, "Yes, but I'll be see you…", the red femme smiled, before she gave control over to the purple seeker.

"What she meant was, that once we patch our processors, you'll see her in the alternate reality, of our linked consciences.", Knightwave clarified, while he opened one of the cabinets, to reveal the Cortical Psychic Patch.

"Would you mind to inform me, about the reasons behind my involvement?", Dreadwing questioned.

"Regarding the research, I was able to obtain another segment, but for some reason the data doesn't add up, leading me to assume that the file is incomplete.", he explained, "And in order to find out which segments are missing, I am in need of a faster processor, that could scan the entirety of the collected research, and pinpoint the issue… I would use the Nemesis' internal processor, but it isn't worth the risk, of an information being stored with it's data banks.", Knightwave elaborated.

"I understand, but what I cannot comprehend, is why your processors cannot handle the workload?", Dreadwing asked.

"Unfortunately, after further analysis of my shared frame, we in fact do share a single processor, a result of our fusion. I believe that due to my own processor, missing nearly 25% of it's drives, the fusion merely used Tap-Out's intact processor, as a replacement for the missing parts.", the purple seeker informed, while he plugged in one end of the patch.

Nodding, "You have made a clear point, and I am ready to comply with your demands.", the revived seeker remarked, taking the other end of the patch, "Shall we take sit, while we are patched?", he asked, gesturing towards a pile of large crates.

"Sounds better than collapsing…", Knightwave implied, taking a seat, on a crate full of artificial spark chambers, "Ready when you are.", he claimed, closing his violet optics, awaiting the moment they are patched.

Dreadwing gave long stare at the patch, for he didn't particularly enjoy the experience… it felt as if he was trapped within his own mind, not that he liked his own conscience, but the memories… the memories that he has, are personal, and the patch allows another, to feel… to see his personal thoughts. That is something he'd rather not share, but he feels as if he must follow Knightwave, his motives are true, and his courage is something to be admired. Nonetheless, the revived seeker knew that in order to bring back Cybertron, he had to do, what he had to do.

 _~Everything went dark~_

It was as if time itself, had stopped. Echoes of hushed voices, whirl around in empty space, colors flash, in and out of the darkness, as a silver servo is seen, reaching out. Heavy vents, huff out a white mist, it was as if it were cold, but yet it felt… yet felt like spring. The servo got closer, and the more it did, a figure started to emerge, an ancient looking femme, with purple and gold details, with hits of glowing aqua.

Staring into the femme's glowing amber optics, "Solus Prime…", Dreadwing uttered, while he drifted in the dark void.

Then reality set it, whipping everything back to were it was, space started to form, and lights formed into data streams. The revived seeker was then snapped back to self awareness, as his hulking frame slammed down, into a smooth surface. Pushing himself off the ground, the revived seeker noticed that the floor, was very reflective, like it was coated in a shellac. That was when he noticed, that he was back to normal, back to his original self, he couldn't believe his optics.

Feeling overwhelmed, with an unknown emotion, Dreadwing gave himself a quick look over, he couldn't describe the feeling, but he was enjoying it.

Smiling, "How is this, even possible?", he questioned, only to hear the sound of pedes, thumping against the metal floor.

Looking up, the blue seeker noticed a familiar looking figure, as he walked down a flight of stairs, "Well, nice for you to stop by.", the purple seeker grinned, "Took you long enough, to snap out of the subspace reality.", he implied.

"Subspace reality?", Dreadwing asked, putting a servo on his fore-helm.

"Yes, the space in between the subconscious and where we are now.", Knightwave beckoned, "This what I refer to as the 'Terrace', the area just beyond the subconscious, an area where data is stored… think of it as our inner archives.", he explained, "And in this case, the Iacon Hall of Records.", he added.

"This is the Iacon Hall of Records? Was it not, reduced to ashes, after Megatron invaded the city? I do recall being apart, of the attack.", the blue seeker remarked.

Nodding, "Glad to hear, that you're not left dazed, from the Subspace.", Knightwave implied, "And to answer your question, this is just a projection of our memories, apparently the Hall of Records holds meaning to all of us, since it is serving as the primary location, for us to do our task.", he smiled, looking around the room, relishing in the memories.

"One last question, before we go to analyse the research… Why do we not retain our current form? For, I wasn't aware of how similar you look, to that of your brother.", Dreadwing pointed out.

Taking a deep vent, "I honestly don't know… I haven't looked this way in eons… not since I was rebuilt by Rigor Mortis… and if I had to speculate, I'd say that our original appearance is engraved, into our processors.", Knightwave sighed, it was as if he didn't like being reminded, about his past appearance.

"I can tell, that you hold a great pain, regarding that of your current appearance.", the blue seeker implied.

Looking away, "I'm not too fond about my past, it holds too many lies, and sorrow… I'm more of a future seeker, rather than a past dweller.", the purple seeker proclaimed, his red optics dim.

"Nonetheless, the past has influence on the future, however you can change the outcomes.", Dreadwing advised.

Grinning, "All those ancient legends are rubbing off on you. Come on, we better not keep Tap-Out waiting, she's probably already done, with the analysis.", Knightwave remarked, walking over towards the staircase.

* * *

 _ **{Meanwhile- Autobot base}**_

The sound of Smokescreen's engine, could be heard revving throughout the base, as the white sports car skids in, from the entrance, and transformers.

"So what did I miss?", the young mech asked, only to notice that Arcee, was inside the regeneration chamber, "What happened!?", he exclaimed , running over towards Ratchet, who was monitoring Arcee's stats.

"Skywarp, is what happened.", Arcee responded, wincing as her cracks chassis, started to be repaired.

Shaking his helm, "How many times have I told you, no talking while inside the chamber!", Ratchet nagged, checking the stats, "Well, it seems that you didn't sustain, substance damage, however I advise, you sit the next mission out.", he commented.

*Bweee zoooiii?*, Bumblebee buzzed.

"You're fine Bumblebee, though there were a few hairline cracks, on your chest plate, but nothing to be concerned about, for now... but I will still need to run a diagnostics check.", Ratchet reassured, walking back to his station.

Looking towards the yellow scout, who was sitting on a crate, "Bee, what happened? Did you get the key?", Smokescreen questioned.

Waving his servo, *Bweee diii zooooweeee buzzzzzdoooo zzzuuuiiii didid dooo.*, Bumblebee beeped.

"Hyperspeed? But how can a clone of Stilettos, have hyperspeed?", the young mech asked.

Hollering from his station, "Have you already forgotten about the Red Energon, that Starscream and his clones stole?", Ratchet remind, with a scoff, only to get back to work.

Looking back at Bee, whose arms were crossed, "Right… I was too focused on the keys, to remember…", Smoke chuckled, nervously.

Continuing with his explanation, *Bweee doo didididi bzzzziiidooo, dededeboooozzzzzdeeiii.*, Bee buzzed.

"Well, he deserved it…", the young mech commented, looking over at the blue femme, "The good thing is, we have the key… where's Optimus?", he implied.

Pointing towards the hall, *Bweee zoooodiiidooweeezzzz deeezoooweee.*, the yellow scout beeped.

Nodding, "Alright… well I don't want to bother him, while he works in private.", Smokescreen remarked, "So… wanna hear more, about me and my friend Drift, while we wait for the next set of coordinates?", he chimed.

*Bweee zooo!*, Bee exclaimed.

However, just before Smokescreen could say anything, Ratchet butted in, "I thought I was hearing things before, but did you just say, that you were friends with Drift?", the old doctor asked.

Looking at the doctor, with a nervous look, "Uh yeah, we were in training camp together, for the Elite Guard… why did you know him?", the young mech asked.

Shaking his helm, "No, forget I said anything.", Ratchet snapped, walking away from the two bots.

"What was all that about?", Smoke asked.

Shrugging, *Bweeee diii zoooweee…*, Bee responded.

"Yeah, Ratchet can be a little weird, at times…", the young mech implied.

* * *

 _ **{Meanwhile- The Harbinger}**_

The dark hallways of the ancient warship, vibrated with the sound of screams… as flashes of light, light out the hallway, like lightning.

"Now, whatever compelled you to go out, and do things behind my back, tell me Skywarp, why shouldn't I end you, where you lay?", Starscream hissed, his red optics glowing an enraged red.

Gasping, "You felt my pain, when my arm was shot off, isn't that enough to convince you, that this wasn't my fault!?", the purple clone begged, only to be zapped again, by an energon shock prod.

"Do I look like someone, who enjoys feeling unexpected pain!?", the silver seeker sneered, "Now I'm going to ask you again, What were you doing, behind my back, or so help me… I'll set this prod to death shock!", he threatened.

Lifting his one arm, "Please spare me! I'll- I'll tell you! J-just don't deactivate me!", Skywarp pled, bowing his helm in a submissive manner.

Snickering darkly, "Then, I advise you tell me.", Starscream implied, his red optics, hammering down a death glare.

"I-I was investigating Autobot activity, and tracked them down to a quarry, where they… where they, were digging up another Iacon relic…", Skywarp uttered.

Growling, "And why didn't you inform ME about this, earlier?!", the silver seeker sneered, pointing the prod at the weakened seeker.

"B-b-b-because I was a-acting selfishly, and wanted the relic for m-my-myself!", the clone stuttered, his expression begging for mercy.

"Tell me, what compelled you to want, to seek this relic?", Starscream questioned, making the prod spark, for a truthful answer.

Optics shaking, "I-I overheard, A-Arcee mention that it c-c-could revive Cybertron…", Skywarp informed, his voice filled with fear.

Grumbling, "And what? You were planning on using the relic to bring back Cybertron, and rule it?! That's my goal! NOT YOURS TO TAKE!", the silver seeker yelled, activating the prod, causing it to glow a hot red.

"P-please! I beg of you, spare me master! Please! Spare me!", Skywarp submitted, cowering in fear, and just when he thought this was the end, the sound of the prod stopped, only to be replaced with laughter.

"I'm glad, to finally see, that you know your place.", Starscream smirked, bending over to face is clone, "And just to make sure, you understand, and see where you belong…", he snickered, flexing one of his sharp servos.

"W-w-what are you going to do…", Skywarp whimpered.

Chuckling lightly, "Oh you know…Just making you SEE, in a new light.", he sneered, as his servo came close to the clone's, right optic.

"N-n-no p-p-please n-no….", the purple clone begged.

Closing in, "Oh come now, this will hurt me, just as much it hurts you.", Starscream chuckled, jabbing his servo forward.

* * *

Thundercracker stood in the silent hallway, only to be instantly frightened by the sound of pain-stricken yell. The yell, vibrated through the clone's very core, for he knew whose yell that belonged to, and if he could feel his pain, he'd gladly share it. Just as he thought the ordeal was over, the sound of angry pedes, could be heard, coming from the room.

"Thundercracker!", Starscream demanded, as he came walking out of the room, his left servo, caked with fresh energon.

Rushing over towards his master, "Y-yes Lord Starscream!", the blue clone exclaimed, not even looking at the servo.

"Skywarp is in dire need of medical attention… however I'm afraid, he'll be blind in one optic… something about… poor vision.", the silver seeker grinned, handing Thundercracker a single optic, "And if I ever find out, that you have been working, behind my back… You'll meet the same fate as Skywarp… do I make myself clear?", he whispered, gripping the clone's shoulder, with the energon caked servo.

Optics widened, "Y-y-yes m-my master…", Thundercracker trembled, as the silver seeker walked off, leaving him to stand there, shaking like a leaf, _{When did he grow some bearings...}_ , he thought, listening to Starscreams's stomping pedes, as they vanished down the hall.

* * *

 _ **{Meanwhile}**_

"How is it, that such a large space, exists within our collected knowledge?", Dreadwing asked, looking around, at all the pristine metal walls.

"This is a real time rendering, of what our combined processors, are forming. It's like we're living in a dream, that is why when we enter another's mind, we see what they are thinking… or better off dreaming.", Knightwave imparted, "The cortical psychic patch, was created primarily as a less extreme form of interrogation… a way to gain information, without having to resort to, beating the information out… However, invading one's personal thoughts, might be more painful, than being tortured.", he elaborated.

Nodding, "How much longer, will it take us, to reach Tap-Out's location?", the blue seeker questioned, looking around.

"The data room isn't too far, it's actually located in the main archive storage.", Knightwave informed.

Looking down, "I recall the attack on Iacon… Megatron ordered his armada to destroy every last nano-bit of data… I unfortunately was among those, who desecrated our history, and with a heavy spark, I regret every last nano-klik of my doings.", Dreadwing sighed, shaking his helm, for the memories were a painful reminder, of his part in the destruction of Cybertron…. But he was blind back then, blinded by his loyalty, and devotion to a mech, whose words lured his spark into darkness.

With a heavy sigh, "Listen, I don't blame you, for what you have done… The past is the past, and the only thing we should be focusing on, is the present… and our future.", the purple seeker stated, stopping in front of a massive door, it's silver engravings glistening from the hallways lamps.

Looking at each other, both seekers approach the doorway, as the door slide open, revealing a darkened room, with what seems to be glowing blue lights. Standing on a ledge was a red femme, her arms moving in a fluent motion, as she analyzed passing data streams.

"How's it feel, to be you again?", Tap-Out asked, not even looking towards the seekers direction.

Tilting his helm, "It evokes powerful emotions, that I am incapable of describing.", Dreadwing responded.

Stopping her work, and twirling around, "Glad to hear that, I am not the only one, feeling the same.", she smiled at Dreadwing, then she looked over at Knightwave, "I found the issue… and you're not going to like the sound of it.", the red femme informed.

Putting a servo on his fore-helm, "By the look on your face, I can already tell this isn't good news.", the purple seeker grumbled.

Turning around, and activating a center console, "I've discovered that the protoform research was separated into two parts.", she began, displaying the research, as blue streams of code appeared, "One half was stored in the hidden laboratory, of the Harbinger, but the other segment was stored in what seems to be an encrypted database, aboard one of the ships med bay consoles.", she explained.

"I see… when the ship was shot down, and broke into two halves, both were separated…", Knightwave mused.

"It is as if, the vessel was shot down intentionally, or perhaps planned, to be separated.", Dreadwing inferences.

"Dreadwing has a point, the Harbinger had no purpose of being in this sector, nor did Megatron give the crew any orders to pursue Autobots forces.", the red femme implied.

"I came after the Harbinger, because I knew there was valuable data stored in its data banks… but not even for a nano-klik, did I think of the possibilities, that I was meant to come to Earth… and now I'm starting to think, all of this was a setup…", Knightwave expressed, his red optics, changing into a reddish violet.

"I think you're right… just think about it, we've managed to gain nearly all, of the collected research, and not to mention, the fact that both of our siblings, are among those aboard this ship.", Tap-Out exclaimed, her words hold a sense of shock.

"Also, the presence of Optimus Prime, should have been the first, of many coincidences, that indicated this being a conspiracy.", the Dreadwing added, his red optics flashing, with realization.

"Alright… besides the possibility of all of this being a set up… is there anything else missing from the collected data?", Knightwave prompted.

Shaking her helm, "Besides the incomplete, Synthetic Energon formula, we have almost all of the collected knowledge, minus the research hidden within the Omega Lock, and one more segment, that I cannot find any indication, of where it may be stored.", the red femme informed.

"The location of that missing segment, might be encrypted, within the coding of the other half, of the protoform research.", the purple seeker mused, "We mustn't waste time, I'll send a message to Ratchet, once we are disconnected from the patch.", he informed, walking out of the room.

"Ready when you are.", Tap-Out responded, walking away from the console, only to notice that Dreadwing hasn't moved, "Hey, you alright?", she asked.

Looking over, at the red femme's white faceplate, "Being back, in my original form, has made me realize the truth behind, the Earth saying, 'You don't know what you have, until it's gone.'", he sighed, only to notice that the room, around him, began to fade away.

Looking up, at Dreadwing's golden faceplate, "Sometimes, things don't always go our way… the hard part is, accepting what we have become.", Tap-Out sighed, while everything faded into black, "I'll be seeing you.", her voice faded… then nothing.

* * *

Dreadwing woke, with a start, it was as if being slapped across the faceplate, while in a deep power down… a feeling that which, he wasn't fond of. Looking around he noticed, that he was back in the real world, back in that cramped storage closest… but Knightwave was nowhere to be found, with the patch neatly curled up, on the crate next to him.

 _{I must've been in power down for a while… why didn't he wake me?},_ He thought, shaking his helm, the revived seeker, looked down at his servos, a wave of disappointment struck through him, closing his optics to come to terms with his emotions.

Then, out of nowhere, a red figure walked in, not even noticing the sorrowful seeker, "Hm lets see… where did I leave those buffer pads…", he mumbled, only to turn around and come face to face, with Dreadwing.

Letting out a startled shout, only for his tone to suddenly go bitter, "What are you doing, in my storage closet?", Knock-Out nagged, crossing his arms.

Standing up, "I was just leaving.", Dreadwing monotoned.

Noticing the patch, "Hey!", Knock-Out exclaimed, grabbing the purple cord, and ran up next to the SIC, "What were you doing in there?!", he questioned, trying to keep up with Dreadwing's long strides.

"Don't you have, your own personal agenda, to be focusing on, doctor?", Dreadwing implied, walking faster.

Running ahead, and stopping in front of the hulking seeker, "You and Knightwave are up to something, and is has to deal with the missing data isn't it? And this is your way of avoiding, my concerns!", Knock-Out accused, pointing up at the revived seeker.

"The only concerns, you should be worrying about, are those missing buffer pads. Now leave me be.", Dreadwing scowled, walking passed the persisting doctor.

With a sneer, "Or what?! What if I don't want to leave you alone, until I get actual answers?", the red mech persisted, standing his ground, which caused the revived seeker to stop, and look over his shoulder.

"Then I suggest you make haste, and find those buffer pads… you'll probably need them…", Dreadwing grumbled before walking out of the med bay, leaving Knock-Out with a callous expression, as his red optics flashed.

* * *

 _ **{Meanwhile- Autobots}**_

The Autobot base, was buzzing with activity, not only were the next set of Iacon coordinates decoded, but Ratchet has just received an encrypted message, from none other than Knightwave. Team Prime, knew how valuable of an asset, the purple seeker has been, and how his information has helped the Autobots envision their goal, on reviving Cybertron.

"It is paramount, that we collect these final, two Omega Keys, and the other half of the Harbinger's research.", Optimus announced.

"Not to mention, that the Decepticons are still unaware, of the true purpose behind these relics, thus making it easier for us to collect them.", Ratchet added.

"Hey Ratchet, you forgot to include Starscream, and his clones, in that equation.", Arcee pointed out.

Looking over at the blue femme, "True, but with Skywarp injured, he's not much of a threat.", the old doctor implied.

"Regardless, Starscream has proven that he is fully capable of causing harm to us, thus I must advise caution, when collecting the keys.", Optimus remarked.

"Not to mention, that he is still in possession of the Resonance Blaster, and a supply of Red Energon.", Arcee stated, crossing her arms.

Nodding, "Then it's safe to say, that using our current Iacon Relics, will aid us in retrieving the keys.", Smokescreen spoke up, lifting his wrist to show the Phase Shifter, as an example.

"Indeed.", the Prime acknowledged.

"Alright!", the young mech exclaimed, walking over towards the ground bridge, "So who's coming with?", he asked.

"I'll go.", Arcee waved, however before she could walk over Ratchet stepped in front.

"I still need to run a few more diagnostics tests, before I could let you go out, and hurt yourself again.", the old doctor glared.

*Bweee diiiieeee doooozzziii.*, Bumblebee buzzed, walking up next to Smoke.

Rolling his optics, "I still need to check up on you too!", Ratchet nagged.

*Bweeee zoooweeee deeeedooo!*, the yellow scout beeped.

"In all circumstance, Ratchet is right to worry.", Optimus interjected, "I'll join Smokescreen on this mission, while Ratchet tends to your wounds.", the Prime stated.

"But what about the final entry?", the Smokescreen asked, "Not that I'm not thrilled, with going on a mission with you, sir.", the young mech nervously implied.

"In the event that, Megatron has discovered the Iacon beacons, we should be safe to assume, that the remaining key, will be undetected.", Optimus stated, "Ratchet, open the ground bridge.", the Prime announced.

Jumping with glee, _{I finally get to go on a mission with Optimus! This is my chance to prove, I am a warrior!}_ , Smokescreen thought, giddily jumping.

However, just as the young mech was bout to walk through the bridge, "Hey Smoke, don't try to hard, to impress Optimus, you might hurt yourself!", Arcee called, tossing the Iacon locator device.

With a nervous wave, "Right…", the young mech grinned, running through the portal.

* * *

 _ **{Meanwhile- The Nemesis}**_

A loud, thunderous growled, vibrated throughout the Nemesis' bridge, as Megatron paced back and forth, a wicked scowl engraved on this faceplate, "Two locations decoded, but yet nothing!", the gunmetal warlord yelled, slamming his new appendage down, on a control pad, sending sparks everywhere.

"The Autobots are more ahead, than I figured… Soundwave, tell me you are nearly done, decoding the last set of coordinates? For if we want to get ahead, then we must think ahead.", Megatron implied.

Nodding, the silent seeker, at that moment finished decoding the final entry, as the red Cybertronian text blinked. Then, to the warlord's surprise, the text began to form what seemed to be a flashing grid, with pixels that began change into a strange form.

"Is this some form, of secondary encryption?", Megatron questioned, only for Soundwave to point at the now forming image, "The coordinates are forming an image, why are would the final Iacon entry, be different from the others?", he asked, walking up to get a closer look.

With optics growing wide, the image was finally rendered, "Prime's latest recruit, is the final relic of Iacon!?", the gunmetal mech gasped, looking over towards Soundwave, "I want him found.", he grumbled, only for the silent seeker to display an anomaly, the he had just detected.

"Ground bridge activity?", Megatron asked, only for a sinister smile to stretch across his faceplate, "Two relics for the taking!", he laughed.

* * *

 _ **{Meanwhile}**_

Walking alongside Optimus, "What a calm place…", Smokescreen smiled, looking around at all the orange trees, "There's nothing like this, back on Cybertron.", he mused.

"You will find, that Earth and Cybertron have many noticeable differences, however the link both of our worlds share, is quiet unexpected.", the Prime stated, listening closely to the locator's pings.

Nodding, "I've been reading up, on this planet's history, and the past events, that were logged in the database… it's so crazy how the very core is actually Unicron!", the young mech marveled, "Who knew that the destroyer of worlds, could end up becoming a world!", Smokescreen joked, only for the locator device, to start beeping.

Without a word, the Prime began to start removing large rocks, from where the locator, pinpointed the keys location. The young mech placed the device down, and began to help Optimus, uncover the Iacon capsule, and after a few minutes the capsule was uncovered.

"Three down, one to g-", at that moment a loud sound was heard, crashing through the forest, sending trees, and rocks everywhere, like projectiles, "What was that?!", he yelped, as another wave cut through the air, followed by sinister laughter.

Squinting his optics, "Starscream.", Optimus sneered, looking around, to see if he could spot the traitorous seeker.

"How observant... but not observant enough!", Starscream chuckled, his voice coming from behind the two Autobots.

"The key!", Smokescreen yelled.

"Oh this?", the silver seeker smiled, only for him to aim the Resonance Blaster, "This is just, a gift from you to me, as an apology.", he grinned.

Taking a defensive stance, "An apology for what?!", the young mech implied.

"For all the memories.", Starscream sneered, shooting a sonic wave, at the two bots, sending them skidding across the forest floor.

Looking at Optimus, "I'll distract Starscream, you go for the key!", the young mech yelled, activating the phase shifter, and phasing through the floor.

Surprised about Smokescreen's ambitions, the Prime rolled out of the wave, hide behind a tree, and transformed his servos into blasters. The silver seeker looked around, and began to laugh, as he scanned the area, with his burning red optics.

"Oh, you don't know how much, I adore playing this game!", Starscream chuckled, "But this time, I won't allow you-", then out of nowhere, the silver seeker spun around, dropping the key, and with one swift movement wrapped his right servo,around Smokescreen's neck, "-To get the better of me.", he snickered, squeezing the young mech's neck.

Struggling, Smoke tried his best to break free, but for some reason the Phase Shifter isn't working, "Poor, poor Smokescreen, having trouble with your little trinket?", the silver seeker grinned, "Let me tell you a little secret before you die, the resonance blaster doesn't just create sound, it nullifies anything that can phase through it.", he informed, whispering into the young mech's sound receptors.

"Starscream!", Optimus exclaimed, "Put him down!", he ordered.

"And why would I do that? You severely injured one of my followers, and I think I should do the same, to this pathetic worm.", Starscream yelled, activating the blaster, which was aimed directly at the young mech's head.

Optics growing wide, "Optimus!", Smoke struggled, "I messed up! I messed up big time! Just grab the key and run!", he yelled, looking down at the key, which when dropped by Starscream, rolled down near the Prime.

Growling, "Touch that key, and say goodbye to your new recruit!", the silver seeker threatened.

"Smokescreen is not a recruit.", Optimus implied, "He's a warrior.", the Prime exclaimed, and with that brief moment of distraction, the young mech transformed his servos into blasters, and shot his way out of Starscream's grip, but as fast as that moment went, disaster struck.

Within a blink of an eye, a massive wave of sound shattered through the air, sending everything flying, in all directions.

* * *

"Starscream.", Megatron sneered, as he looked out of the Nemesis' bridge window, looking at the massive force of sound, that was emitted from the vast forested area.

"I want Eradicons sent down there immediately! If they find anything, that also means this Smokescreen, I want it brought up here now!", the warlord ordered, walking out of the room, and heading towards the flight deck.

* * *

 _ **{later...}**_

Everything was black, as muffled sounds were heard, venting in, and out… but these vents were stressed, slow, and most of all, filled with agony. When Smokescreen finally opened his optics, the lights of the room were so bright, he was beginning to think, he was entering the Allspark. However, the immense amount of pain he began to feel, made him second guess his speculations. Then out of nowhere, the unmistakable face of the Decepticons doctor popped into view, however, the edges of his perception, where hazy and dark.

"What is the current state, of his condition?", a voice asked, though it sounded a bit muffled.

"That immense sound wave, sent his frame hurling through the air, sending him directly into a cliff side, which he then was pushed by the aftershock, over the ledge and into a pit filled with more rocks… how do you think he's doing? Fine and dandy?", the red doctor's voice asked.

"I was just asking you a question, there is no need for you, to be sarcastic about it.", the other voice implied, as the sound of footstep shuffled near Smokescreens view, revealing the unknown mech, to be Knightwave.

"I can be as sarcastic as I want, until you tell me, what I want to know.", Knock-Out argued, crossing his arms.

"This isn't the time, nor place to be arguing, over matters you don't yet understand.", the purple seeker.

"Then, tell me Knightwave, what is it, that I don't yet understand?", the red mech sneered, only to notice that the young mech's optics were slowly lighting up, "So, he lives…", he grumbled, glaring down at the damaged mech.

Smokescreen began to cough, vigorously, it was as if something was choking him, and crushing his chassis at the same time. The young mech never felt this amount of pain before, nor he never expected to ever have such an experience. Knightwave immediately took action, recognizing this as serious Spark trauma, and rushed over to stabilize the Autobot.

After a vigorous hour, of trying to stabilize Smokescreen's condition, the young mech finally succumbed to Knightwave's treatment. However, his vents were still shaky, and his Spark activity showed, that due to the sound wave, it was severely unstable. That was when he came to, opening his blue fully, to notice where we was at, and began to process what was happening.

"W-w-where am- where am I?", he uttered, looking around.

"You're aboard the Nemesis, and you're lucky to be alive.", Knightwave implied, walking away from the monitors.

"The Nemesis… isn't- isn't that the Decepticon's warship?", the young mech suddenly snapped awake, looking straight at Knightwave's, masked faceplate, "And you… you're him! Your that 'Con!", he gasped.

"For someone, who looks like they fell into a smelting pit, you are very... intuitive.", Knock-Out's sly tone, came from behind, the berth. However, when he walked from behind the berth, Smokescreen noticed, that he was wearing the Phase Shifter.

"Hey...t-t-that's m-mine!", Smoke struggled to point.

Looking at his wrist, "Finders keepers, and besides… I don't think you'll be able to wear this for a while.", Knock-Out snickered, only for Knightwave to hit him, on the back of the helm, "Hey!", he growled, death glaring the purple seeker.

"Your sister, sends her regards.", Knightwave monotoned, only to notice that Smokescreen, was beginning to vent hard.

With shaking optics, "What does he mean by that!?", the young mech questioned, as a wave of fear pierced his body, "What happened? Why am I here? Why can't I move?", he struggled.

Shaking his helm, "Now look what you did!", the purple seeker grumbled.

"What? I can't state the obvious?", Knock-Out remarked.

Giving a quick glare at the red mech, Knightwave got close to the young mech, trying to calm him down, "Calm down, you need to relax, and I'll tell you everything.", he comforted.

"I wish, you could tell me everything.", Knock-Out mentioned, only for Knightwave to snap a gaze at him.

With a sigh, "You were caught, in a massive sound wave, that severely injured you… Megatron brought you into the med bay, and demanded that an artifact be removed from your chassis… but the thing was… it wasn't hard for us to find it… apparently, when you were thrown across the air, you landed in a pit of rocks… some impaled you…", he struggled to explain, "After we removed the artifact, he demanded you to be exterminated, I did what I thought was best, and transferred your remaining components to a hidden chamber… I'm very sorry but… there was only little I could do… but we will be able to rebuild you.", he uttered.

Within that moment of dread, the young mech spotted something in the corner of his optic, slowly he rotated his head, to notice… his frame, on another berth, "What have you done…", he whimpered.

"The only thing I could do… I transferred your spark, and processors over, to another frame… but I haven't connected your bipedalism cord yet-", he tried to explain, only to be cut off.

"What have you done to me!?", Smokescreen yelled, trying to move his body, hoping that this was some kind of Decepticon trick.

"Oooh, someone's getting fussy.", Knock-Out snickered, watching as the young mech struggled.

Lifting his visor, to reveal his dimmed violet optics, "You need to calm down…", he uttered, his voice rather stern, but yet was gentle.

"Calm? You expect me to calm down, when I can't even move! Not to mention, that my body! MY BODY, is over there!", Smokescreen sneered, his optics flaring.

"You need to listen to me, if you don't calm down, Megatron will find out that I didn't scrap you, and you know what he'll do? He'll not only smelt your frame, but he will have the pleasure of killing you twice.", the purple seeker foretold, "And I don't think you'll like that. Also, I've given you an opportunity to help the Autobots, while I fix your frame, and I am a bot of my word-"

"-Yeah, when he's not busy trying to help everyone else, except doing as he said he will do", Knock-Out grumbled, crossing his arms.

Shaking his helm, "I'm going to do you a favor, I'm going to connect your bipedalism cord, giving you full control, of your temporary frame. Now you have to promise me, that you won't do anything stupid, or anything that could get our covers blown, until the day comes, when your original frame has been rebuilt, do we have a deal?", Knightwave implored.

"If I had control of one my hands, then we'd be shaking.", Smokescreen implied, "Deal.", he asserted.

* * *

 **End of Chapter Notes:** XD

ps... **thanks for reading** my weird story...

Pss- If you like robots and stuff, and have Netflix, you should defiantly watch this new animated movie called 'Next Gen"... I absolutely loved it!

PSSS- Optimus won the Death Battle against the RX-78-2, and though I really LOVE Gundam... Optimus is still my favorite.


	21. TFP: Sparkless Ch21: Keys Part 3

**Disclaimer** **:** _I do not own any of the Transformers characters in the TFP series, nor do I claim ownership of any_ _kind towards anything trademarked. This story is just for fun, and isn't connected towards the true lore behind the franchise. The only things I own are the OCs._

 **Update Note:** _This is part 3 of Keys, and I am aware of how short this chapter is. This was actually supposed to be combined with part 2, but I decided to break it up, just so my chapters won't exceed a certain amount of words._

 _Also, I've been very busy... very busy playing Destiny... yeah... not the best of games to be playing all the time, but I've got no idea why I like it so much... and it's one of the primary reasons why I didn't post this chapter earlier... yeah I apologize on that part, and just so you know, if I take forever to update... feel free to go to the Dreaming City, and slap my Hunter... you can normally find me in the Blind Well..._

 _(O-o) save me from my addiction to video games... cuz Netflix removed season 2-3 of TFP..._

* * *

 **Chapter 21: Keys {Part 3}**

Jack, Raf, and Miko, sat quietly as Optimus explained, in detail, what happened a few days ago. A story, that he had already told his fellow Autobots, when they found him, that fateful afternoon. A stream of tears, rained down all of their faces, even Agent Fowler, who was sitting with June, shed some tears, over this disappointing news.

"I can't believe that he's gone…", Raf mumbled.

"Yeah, and he just got here…", Jack sighed, looking down at the concrete floor.

With a slight sneer, "What are we doing, just sitting around here for?!", Miko exclaimed, "Starscream has done nothing, but screw us over, and that isn't cool!", she yelled, catching Fowler's attention.

"Prime, I'd hate to admit it, but Miko is right.", he implied, "Starscream has been a thorn on your backside, since who knows how long, and I'd say that instead of living with it, you should just suck it up, and end it.", Fowler remarked.

"Yeah, once and for all!", Miko yelled, crossing her arms.

"I too hate to admit it… but they're right.", Arcee's voice spoke up, "Not only has that glitch, deactivated Cliffjumper, but he had the nerve to deactivate Smokescreen… and if I didn't know better, he probably knew what happened to Bulkhead. By the way I see, Starscream has already proven to be our priority target.", she sneered, balling her servos into tight fists, to the point the popping sounds were made, from the stressed pistons.

"Optimus…", Ratchet sighed, "I don't want to bury anymore friends… I'm with them on this one…", he stated.

*Bweee zeee dooo…*, Bumblebee buzzed, his optics dimmed.

Closing his optics, "Revenge isn't always the right thing to do, but I cannot dismiss the past events, leading to this moment…", the Prime vented, "As of now, Starscream is …shoot to kill…", he sighed, walking away towards his private quarters.

* * *

 _ **{The Harbinger}**_

"I had it!", a growling voice, echoed throughout the dark halls of the Harbinger, "I had the blasted key!", Starscream sneered, as he tipped over crates, and threw scrap metal.

 _{How many times, are you going to complain about this? It's been nearly 3 solar cycles…},_ Thundercracker sighed, as he watched his master rant.

Kicking over a berth, "But those accursed Autobots, tricked me, and I dropped it!", the silver seeker yelled.

Crossing his arms, _{I'm pretty sure, you did that yourself…}_ , Thundercracker sighed.

"Not to mention, that the Decepticons showed up… and that new Autobot probably ran off with the key, after I put the Resonance Blaster on Death Charge...", Starscream grumbled.

Walking over towards the angered seeker, "I don't think you don't have worry about, that new recruit anymore, my master.", the blue clone atoned.

"Oh? And how are you, sure of that?", Starscream questioned.

"I was able to hack, back into the Nemesis' logs, and obtained information regarding, your previous mission.", Thundercracker informed, "And, I've stumbled upon, some fascinating data.", he implied, pulling out a datapad, and presenting his findings.

Grinning, "Well, well, well.", the silver seeker chimed, "I might have lost the key, but I took out another one, of Prime's forces!", he chuckled.

"However, after decoding the encrypted data, within the Nemesis' data-banks, I've stumbled upon more incriminating data, that may further your interests, my lord.", the blue clone implied.

"How so?", Starscream questioned, raising an optic ridge.

"There seems to be an accumulative amount of data, referring to that of a seeker, known as Knightwave. However, after further findings, I've discovered that he was reported as deactivated, eons ago.", Thundercracker informed.

"Knightwave...Knightwave… why does that name sound familiar?", the silver seeker pondered, "Oh that's right, I do recall overhearing such a name…", he tapped his strut.

"Knighwave was the younger sibling to Soundwave, and was deactivated due to him aiding Autobot prisoners, escape from a high security prison.", the blue clone remarked.

Tilting his helm, "How do you, know all of that?", Starscream asked.

"This half of the Harbinger, has multiple files, regarding the incident, and other eons old data logs.", the clone informed, "It seems, that before this ship was sent here, to engage the Autobots, its primary task, was to collect past and recent archive information, as a way of recording history.", he informed.

"After we took Iacon by storm, I'd expected much. We lost all of our past history, thus recording new events, gave us the opportunity to start fresh… but what we didn't expect, was Cybertron's fall.", Starscream mused.

"Nobody expected Cyberton's fall, that also means, nobody expected the possibility of reviving it.", Thundercracker smirked, "When Skywarp confessed, he told you that this relic could revive Cybertron, but that's all he knew, however I managed to decode a series of files, that happen to be recent entries.", the blue clone informed, walking over towards a monitor screen, plugging in the datapad, and displaying his findings.

Optics opening wide, "There are four Iacon coordinates… wait the final entry… it cannot be!", the silver seeker gasped, "Blast it all! I not only lost one key, but two!", he yelled.

"You're missing the point my liege, the Decepticons have no idea, what the keys do, and without all four, they have no chance, of reviving Cybertron.", Thundercracker remarked.

Sneering, "But without any keys, we are not even close, to our home's revival.", Starscream scowled.

Smirking, "That is where you fail to comprehend, we do have a chance to revive Cybertron, without the keys, all we need is Knightwave.", the clone implied, typing in a few codes, and suddenly the screen changed, and displayed ancient Cybertronian text.

Unblinking, "What is this?", Starscream asked.

"Research, my lord.", the clone smirked, "Recall that encrypted file, I found aboard this ship? Well, after I decoded the data, I discovered that it held similar properties to that of another file, that you had previously downloaded, from the other half of the Harbinger.", he began to type in codes, "After further analysis, I discovered that this research is more than it seems, rather it is a piece to a larger 'image'. In addition, once both were combined, a secret letter was formed, a letter meant for Knightwave.", Thundercracker informed, pulling up the letter, on the monitor.

Scowling, "Tell me, what will it take, for us to capture this Knightwave?", Starscream questioned, as he read the letter.

"Simple, we obtain the 2 keys, the Autobots have, and make a deal with the Decepticons, you did want to rejoin them, didn't you?", the blue clone implied.

"Easier said than done, now that we are down to our last dose of Red Energon, no thanks to Skywarp, wasting it for his own personal agenda…", the silver seeker mumbled, "And not to mention, Megatron has replaced me, with that nuisance Dreadwing… who I'm certain won't appreciate our company.", he sneered.

Grinning, "But my liege, I have a plan.", Thundercracker stated, "All we need is to cause a bit of chaos, the Autobots will come to the rescue, and once they open their ground bridge, you slip in, and snatch those keys.", he schemed, "And this Dreadwing-"

"-I won't allow him, to lay a single servo on you, my liege.", a grunting voice, came from a doorway, "And as for Knightwave, I know how to blackmail him, in helping us… without question."

Aiming his glare, over towards the darkened hallway, a single glowing red optic, could be seen in the darkness, "Then it's a plan.", Starscream smirked.

* * *

 _ **{Meanwhile- The Nemesis}**_

The subtle glow of a single light, casted a purple hue inside the hidden room, of the med bay. Laying down on a propped up berth, was what appeared to be an Eradicon, however it had features of a helicopter alt mode. The Eradicon was in a deep power down, while the monitor next to the berth, did a scan of his systems.

Just then, the wall in front of the Eradicon collapsed, as a purple seeker walked in, _{I've been meaning to ask you this, but what's the deal, with his temporary frame? I haven't seen a Vehicon like that, before.}_ , Tap-Out's voice echoed.

"No surprise there, Megatron isn't very fond of Helicopter vehicle modes. However, during the final days of the war, these types of Eradicons were used as battlefield sweepers, and sniper drones… and it so happens, his ship has a plenty of parts, for this exact model.", Knightwave explained.

 _{But wouldn't Megatron be questioning, why there's a helicopter Eradicon? I mean, since he's the only one aboard this ship},_ she implied.

Smirking, "You should pay more attention.", he remarked, "I gave him the ability to triple change, not to mention the ability to change his base mode, so he blends in as a regular Vehicon.", the purple seeker explained.

 _{I see, well that's very commendable, just don't tell my brother… not that he'd be interested in such a procedure, rather he'd be even more of a pest, regarding Breakdown still being… well you know.},_ Tap-Out sighed.

Taking a deep vent, "Don't you worry, once we obtain more research fragments, I'll be able to bring back his Conjunx. Until then, we just have to tolerate his behavior…", Knightwave sighed.

 _{And by 'behavior', you mean his constant sarcasm, and his constant bickering…},_ she grumbled.

"Yeah, lets just put that aside for now, and focus our attention on this, shall we.", Knightwave remarked, typing in some commands, on the monitor.

 _{Time to wake up, you next project?},_ Tap-Out's voice echoed.

Rolling his violet optics, "He's not my 'project', he's my patient.", the purple seeker implied.

 _{Says the scientist, who can bring back the dead. Have you ever read that Earthling literature, I requested for you to analyze?}_ , the red femme questioned.

"I should say I haven't gotten around to it, but yes, I have… and it was quiet... compelling, to say the least.", he nodded, walking over behind the berth, and unplugging a cord.

 _{What was your favorite part?},_ she insisted.

"This part.", Knightwave smirked, as he reconnected the bipedalism cord, to the Eradicon's chassis, causing the power downed mech, to convulse, and snap into reality.

* * *

The Eradicon's visor suddenly flashed a deep red, as his entire frame flinches, while energon flowed throughout the mech. Confusion was the first innate feeling, for the mech felt as if he was waking from a dream, while also being in a dream. Looking around, he immediately laid sights on Knightwave, who was standing to his right, typing on the monitor.

"H-how long was… I out for?", Smokescreen mumbled, trying his best to regain awareness.

Looking over at the semi-conscience mech, "Roughly 3 solar cycles, I ran into a few inconveniences, and had to adjust them, before I connected your bipedalism cord, to your temporary frame.", the purple seeker explained, as he deactivated the energon cuffs, that held the confused mech, to the berth.

Lifting his new appendages, "This is so… weird…", he uttered, inspecting his temporary frame, which to him felt as if he was normal, but at the same time, he felt odd.

"Do try to, not overthink this.", Knightwave implied, "The more you think, the more deranged you become.", he advised.

"R-right… and besides once you're done repairing my original frame, I'll back to being myself again!", Smoke internally grinned.

 _{He recovered quick… faster than Dreadwing… well mainly because he's original frame, isn't a pile of scrap metal.},_ Tap-Out sighed.

Watching the purple seeker type, "So, are you always this talkative? I'm not complaining, but… why am I a seeker?", Smokescreen persisted, inspecting what seemed to be helicopter blades, that hung off his back, kind of like a cape.

With a sigh, "Are those the only questions, you're going to ask me?", Knightwave questioned.

Shaking his helm, "Are you kidding me? No! I was just trying to be polite, because I'm here! I mean I'm aboard Megatron's boat!", the young mech outstretched his new arms, "I'm in another body, not to mention, I'm in a Decepticon body! And you! The seeker who has been trading information with Optimus! I'm here with you!", he exclaimed.

 _{At this point, I'm wondering how the Autobots dealt with him… he's more chatty than I figured.},_ Tap-Out pointed out, as Knightwave just stood there, listening to this mech describe everything.

* * *

 _ **{Meanwhile- Autobots}**_

The Autobots base was still, no human, no bot, made a single sound. After Optimus had announced, that Starscream was a kill priority, no one dared to mention anything, or tried to lighten the mood. After a while, June decided that they spent enough time, at the base, and just before the group of humans were about to leave, the alarm system went off.

"What's going on?", Arcee snapped, her optics scanning the green monitor.

"Decepticons?", Miko asked, running back up the stairs to get a better look, with Raf, Jack, June, and Agent Fowler, following behind.

"That's odd, the Nemesis' location, hasn't moved from its orbit in over 2 solar cycles…", Ratchet mumbled, trying to find out why the alarms went off.

Just then, the monitor pinged, displaying the location of the anomaly. Walking passed the others, Agent Fowler's eyes were wide with fear, "That's the location of, our nearest military base!", he exclaimed.

"I wasn't aware, that there was a military compound near by.", the old doctor mentioned, looking down at the agent.

Adjusting his grey tie, "That's because it's one of our most top secret bases.", Fowler implied.

"Area 51?", the teens questioned, only for the agent to shake his head.

"No this base is more of a secret 'secret'…", the agent tried not to spill, any classified information.

"Well it isn't a secret anymore, since I am picking up a Cybertronian reading from that location.", Ratchet remarked, as Optimus walked into the room.

"What seems to be the issue?", the Prime asked.

"Starscream is attacking a secret military base.", Arcee assumed, her optics glaring at the life signal, as it moved across the screen.

Optimus looked over at Ratchet, "She may be correct, Agent Fowler just informed us about the secrecy of the base, thus we must assume that Starscream, might have an interest in such a location.", he nodded.

"Agent Fowler, would you mind informing us, to why Starscream might have taken an interest in this base?", the Prime asked.

Rubbing the back of his head, "They will have to leave first.", Fowler beckoned at June, and the teens.

Nodding, "Don't worry Bill, I'll take it from here.", June smiled, "Come on guys, time to go.", she exclaimed, leading the teens down the stairs, towards her car.

"Awe man! But I want to help, beat the scrap out of Screamer!", Miko complained, as she was forced into the back seat.

Once June had driven off, Agent Fowler took a deep breath, before he began his explanation, "The base is apart of an, aerospace development program.", he began, "A branch that is apart of… Sector 7…", he explained.

"Sector 7?", Ratchet queried, his optics flashing.

Taking a deep breath, "It's a top secret branch of the military, devoted in the advancement of Earth Technology. This base, that's being attacked, is developing a highly advanced aircraft, so state of the art, it won't make its debut for the next 30 years.", Fowler informed.

The Autobots just started at the man, all optics flashing with fear, except for Optimus', for he was now determined to stop the attack. The Prime knew that if Starscream got a hold on this technology, then he'd be more of a threat.

"Ratchet, open the groundbridge, to the bases coordinates.", The Prime implied.

"Prime, I've just received word, that they have called a full evacuation of the base, you are free to engage… just don't make too much of a mess.", Fowler remarked, before making a phone call.

"Autobots.", Optimus announced, while Ratchet activated the ground bridge, "Roll out!"

* * *

 _{Any nano-klik now, the Autobots will appear…}_ , Skywarp thought, only to lay sights, on a green vortex, that opened up into reality, _{Right on que.},_ he smirked.

Then, as just when the Autobots stepped out, a red flash zoomed right passed them, vanishing into the ground bridge, and time came to a screeching halt. Time itself seemed to have slowed down for just a moment, however just as that moment came to pass, it was suddenly slapped back to life, as that same red flash, zoomed by.

The Autobots were at a loss, it was as if their very spark felt the disturbance, *Bweee zooo weee!*, Bumblebee buzzed, looking around with distraught, as the ground bridge closed.

"I don't know Bee, but I didn't like the feeling.", Arcee responded.

"Autobots be on guard.", Optimus implied, looking around at the wrecked base.

Looking at the Prime, "Whatever happened here, looks as if they hit and ran.", the blue femme inspected.

Scanning the area, "I don't believe we are alone.", Optimus cautioned.

Just then, "Nothing can get passed you, Prime!", a hissing voice echoed from above.

The Autobots optics grew wide, as they glared at a familiar, yet strange looking Skywarp, for his alt-mode was something none of them, had ever seen before. The body of the aircraft resembled Cybertronian design, with the classic seeker look, however the body was blended, giving it a more earthly appearance. Overall, this aircraft looked far more advanced than anything they've seen, hinting that this aircraft, was the top secret prototype, this base was dedicated to work on.

"Skywarp.", Arcee sneered, "Didn't we teach you a lesson, the last time?!", she remarked, reminding him of their last encounter.

Chuckling, "How could I forget, but I'm not here to fight you.", the purple clone teased, "I'm just here to… give you a warning.", he implied.

Glaring at the seeker, "What are Starscream's goals? What are you planning to do?", Optimus questioned, optics flashing.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk.", Skywarp jeered, "You Autobots think you can just ask questions? No, I'm just the messenger this time, and the message is… You're the one who has been warned.", he laughed, only for his new alt-mode to glow a violent yellow, and within an instant he was gone, leaving behind a thunderous boom.

After a moment, to recover from the sonic boom, the Autobots put away their weapons, "What was that all about?", Arcee asked, hitting the side of her helm, so her audio receptors could stop ringing.

*Bweee zoo dididid dooo deee wooo.*, Bee buzzed, shaking his helm, for his audios were also ringing.

Activating his coms, "Ratchet, we are in need of a groundbridge, and inform Agent Fowler, that Skywarp has scanned the aircraft.", Optimus informed, only to get no answer, "Ratchet are you there?", he asked.

"Optimus, what's wrong?", Arcee asked.

"I cannot establish contact, with the base.", the Prime explained.

Activating her link, "Ratchet, are you there? Hello? Is anyone there, do you read?", she tried, but yet again, no answer, "Our coms must've been damaged, after that sonic boom.", she commented.

*Bweee ziii zooo.*, the yellow scout buzzed.

"How are you're coms working, and ours aren't?", Arcee asked.

*Bweee zoooo diiidooo weeeiii dididooo.*, Bumblebee explained.

"Bumblebee, informed Raphael to remote activate the ground bridge.", Optimus remarked.

* * *

 _ **{Meanwhile- Med Bay}**_

Knightwave stood patiently, as he watched Smokescreen practice, his new transformation abilities. For the most part, he was able to get used to his triple change ability, changing from the standard Eradicon vehicle mode, to the strange helicopter mode, with ease. However, what seemed to be most difficult, was changing his frame shape, for the two body types were completely different.

Venting, "Hey Doc, why can't I get this? Shouldn't this be easy?", the young mech asked, obviously exhausted, and in need of energon.

"You'd figure, changing base forms would be the easiest thing to perform, but it's the trickiest, and requires more concentration.", Knightwave implied, "It would be best, if you take is easy for now, let yourself settle down, until the next session.", he remarked, handing Smoke an energon cube.

Just then, Knightwave's monitor went off, flashing red as an alert tone rang, "What is it? Megatron looking for you?", Smokescreen asked.

Violet optics growing wide, "No, it's… it's a message from Starscream...", the purple seeker uttered.

Immediately, Knightwave rushed out of the hidden room, leaving a questionable Smokescreen behind, who took a sneak peak at the message. Upon looking at the message, the young mech ran out, trying his best to change his form, only for him to bump into Knock-Out.

"Hey! Watch the paint!", the red doctor yelled, only for Smokescreen to continue to rush past him, completely transformed into an Eradicon.

"Knightwave and his blasted pests!", Knock-Out exclaimed, brushing his shoulder.

* * *

Knightwave dashed down the halls of the Nemesis, and just as he reached the bridge, he slowed his pace down to a jog. Taking a deep vent, he was just about to active the door's sensor, when he heard the pedes of Smokescreen run up to him. Without a word, both mechs walk into the bridge, only to lay sights on Megatron standing in the middle of the center walkway, with Starscream on the opposite end, sassily leaning on the center console.

"Just the two mechs, I was looking for.", Starscream chuckled, causing Megatron to rotate his helm towards Knightwave.

"What is your business here?", Megatron growled, clenching his servos.

Snickering, "I'm just here, to make a planet reviving deal.", the silver seeker chuckled, revealing the two Iacon keys.

* * *

 _ **End of Chapter notes:**_

 **Thanks for Reading**! I'm gonna go play Destiny now...


	22. TFP: Sparkless Ch22: Deal

**Disclaimer** **:** _I do not own any of the Transformers characters in the TFP series, nor do I claim ownership of any_ _kind towards anything trademarked. This story is just for fun, and isn't connected towards the true lore behind the franchise. The only things I own are the OCs._

* * *

 **Chapter 22: Deal**

The interior of the Autobot base was in ruins, wires and cables hung from the ceiling, as streams steam fills the room. The groundbridge was in disrepair, but still functional, and the concrete walls were falling apart… it was as if a bomb went off. Ratchet and Agent Fowler were nowhere to be scene, it was as if they were abducted, along with the Apex Armor, and the two Iacon Keys.

However, most of the other relics, like the spark extractor, and the immobilizer, were left behind… but were buried in a pile of rubble, that also included Airachnid… whose frozen form remained imprisoned.

The three remaining Autobots couldn't believe this actually happened, their home, their shelter, was reduced to nothing, but a scrap yard. A wave of sorrow swept by, as the realization of what they have gotten into, came to fruition.

"It was a setup!", Arcee spat, slamming her fist into a wall, causing more rubble to fall, "We should've known better!", she vented.

"There is no way we could've known, Starscream has proven that in times of war, gaining the advantage is always top priority.", Optimus remarked, examining the still operational monitors.

"An advantage? To no disrespect, we are all that is left, Ratchet and Fowler have been taken, not to mention he is in possession of our Keys. The balance of power has been shifted, and we are nowhere near that magnitude.", the blue femme argued, with Bumblebee sadly taking her side.

"Optimus, you know we will follow you, to the Pits and back, but… but we cannot just sit here, while Starscream is in possession of two keys, and if we get real, he's probably made a deal with Megatron by now.", Arcee implied, her pink and blue optics glowing bright.

Looking down at his fellow Autobots, "Arcee, you are… right.", the Prime admitted, "We as Autobots know that this war, has gone on long enough, but our struggles are due to our tenacity towards peace. However, peace cannot be simply obtained by simple means, rather sometimes it requires that of uncivilized approaches.", he implied, taking a deep vent.

"I'll analyze the ground bridge, to check in its integrity, and once I assess its functionality, we can plan a rescue.", Optimus assured, before walking away.

 _{Integrity? Planning? My aft!},_ Arcee thought, glaring at the Prime with glowering optics.

* * *

 _ **{Meanwhile- The Nemesis}**_

Megatron's red optics glared at the two relics, he had no idea how Starscream was able to obtain them, nor did he realize they had the potential to revive a planet. To come to think of it, the reason why he kept Knightwave, was to exploit him into finding a way to revive Cybertron. However, these keys have changed everything, but at the same time, still hold a mystery.

"Tell me Starscream, what else do you know about these keys?", Megatron questioned, still standing in the middle of the walkway.

"I know a lot of things, that is… if I'm welcomed back into the Decepticon cause.", Starscream grinned.

Scowling, "Let me guess, this so called 'Deal' you're making, is an exchange? I let you live, and I gain the tools to revive Cybertron? Sounds so oddly familiar…", the gunmetal mech grumbled, looking back at Knightwave, with a slight sneer.

"With all due consideration, Lord Megatron, I know more than I'm leading on, and I can guarantee you, not only the revival of Cybertron, but the revival of those who perished, and I'm quite positive that there is only one other mech in this room, who knows what I'm talking about.", Starscream jeered, as if teasing Knightwave.

Turning to face the purple seeker, "Mind telling me, what he's on about? Or should I assume, my speculations about you, are true?", Megatron sneered.

Taking a deep vent, "I studied in the halls of Iacon… and I know what those artifacts are… they are called the Omega Keys… and they… and they activate the Omega lock, which in theory, has the potential to revive out home.", Knightwave sighed.

"YOU KNEW OF THIS ALL ALONG!", the Warlord yelled.

"N-no my Liege, I just recognized the relics, that's all.", the purple seeker uttered, trying to keep his emotions at check, while Tap-Out was no help, for she was frantically freaking out.

"Then tell me, why have come here, at this specific moment?", Megatron growled.

"Because I summoned him here.", a deep voice growled from behind, as a maroonish-purple mech stepped in, his fists clenched so tight, that they were creaking from the stress.

"Dreadwing, explain.", Megatron spat, his optics gleaming.

Death glaring Starscream, and looking back at the gunmetal mech, "I wanted to ask him about, the relics we recovered, however it has seems that someone else, has knowledge about them.", the SIC lied, however his statement sounded truthful enough, to Megatron.

 _{Good cover story, Dreadwing is proving to be the perfect ally… I just wish, my brother would act more like this.}_ , Tap-Out remarked.

Taking a growling vent, "Knightwave, I want you to escort Starscream to the Med Bay, and Dreadwing, gather the relics, so we may further examine them.", Megatron ordered.

"So does that mean?", Starscream gasped.

Scowling, "Yes, I'm accepting your deal… However, if you ever double cross me again, and this goes for your clones, wherever they may be, I will not hesitate to rip your body limb from limb, and feed your inner components to Scraplets! Do I make myself clear?", the Warlord sneered.

Nodding his helm, in a fast pace, "Y-yes! I will not let you down, master!", the silver seeker shuttered.

Megatron then opened his stolen Prime appendage, beckoning at the two Keys, Starscream was still holding onto. With a shaky laugh, the silver seeker placed the two relics, into Megatron's servo, and slowly walked passed him. However, when he walked passed Dreadwing, he couldn't help but feel as if red, piercing, optics were following his every move.

* * *

Starscream walked a few feet away from Knightwave, and what seemed to be an Eradicon bodyguard, which to the silver seeker, was a bit odd, considering when he was SIC, he never had such protection. Even though he knew that the Med Bay, wasn't too far away from the Command Deck, it felt like they were walking for ages, and thus he knew he had to say something.

"I bet you're wondering how-", he began, only for the purple seeker to whip around, his action so fast, it caught him of guard.

"-I'm not wondering how, but rather why, and what? Why are you here, and what do you hope to accomplish?", Knightwave snapped, his violet optics burning, to the point they were visible through his darkened visor.

"W-wasn't clear in my message?", Starscream yelped, surprised at Knightwave's forward aggression.

"[Come to bridge, if you value your friend Ratchet's life.] What a load of scrap!", the Eradicon spoke up, his voice sounding so… familiar…, "Tell me Screamy, what have you done?", he sneered.

"W-who are y-you?", the silver seeker stuttered, pointing a shaky digit at the deep purple drone.

Just then, before any of them could make a move, a door opened revealing that of Knock-Out, who just walked out of a storage vault, holding a few cubes of energon.

"I knew I heard some spicy drama, coming from the hallway, so I pulled out some high grade, from the reserves, and hoping to see some intense action.", the red mech grinned.

Looking away from Starscream, "There is no drama… we were just heading to the med bay… that's all.", Knightwave mumbled, walking away, and as he passed Knock-Out, he swiped a cube.

Smirking, "Well, well, well look what the cat dragged in. Long time so see Screamer, I see that you're overdue for a makeover.", the red mech jeered, as the Eradicon ran passed him, this time near missing the doctor, _{Blasted pests!},_ he thought.

Rolling his optics, "Yes...yes… about that, I was hoping for-"

"-hoping for a facial? Because I can certainly fix that.", Knock-Out grinned, handing over a cube of high grade.

"Now I remember why, the medical service was so poor around here…", Starscream sneered.

* * *

 _ **{Meanwhile- Autobots}**_

"Though, I vaguely know the knowledge of Ground Bridge mechanics, I was able to assess the amount of damage to the bridge's mainframe.", Optimus announced, emerging from the space below the portals walkway.

Crossing her arms, "Was the estimate?", Arcee asked.

Shaking his helm, "I seems that it is in need of dire repair, without such maintenance, we only have exactly 2 more jumps, before it permanently shuts down.", the Prime informed, looking at his remaining fellow Autobots, faceplates.

"So one trip then…", the blue femme mumbled, looking over towards Bee, who was fumbling through the base's main interface, "Bumblebee, you should take a break, I don't think we'll be needing our com network…", and just as she said that, the entire base sprung to life.

*Bweee zeee dooo zweee didid dooo.*, the yellow scout beeped, wiping his servos together.

"Hu, good job.", Arcee grinned, walking up to the life signal monitor, "There.", she pointed out, aiming her pointer digit at Ratchet's last relayed life signal location.

Squinting his optics, "The Harbinger.", Optimus remarked, his tone holding a hint of malice.

Clenching her servos, "We've got one shot, might as well use it, to storm the Harbinger, and save Ratchet and Fowler.", the blue femme grumbled.

"No.", the Prime said in a low voice, "We cannot risk detection, for who knows what Starscream has in store for us.", he warned.

"But Optimus, we cannot just leave them there!", Arcee snapped.

"I understand your frustrations, Arcee, but we mustn't act so hasty, we must plan before we can attack.", Optimus advised.

"Well, I'm tired of watching my family die! That half of Harbinger is just one ground bridge away, and I'm going!", she spat, stomping her pedes against the cracked floor.

*Bweee ziii dooo!*, Bumblebee buzzed, catching her attention.

"If I don't come back, tell Jack I'm sorry.", Arcee remarked, before activating the ground bridge, transforming into her motorcycle alt mode, and through the portal.

"Bumblebee.", Optimus mumbled, "Follow her…", he sighed, as if giving him permission to disobey orders.

Without hesitation, the yellow scout transformed, into his muscle car alt, and sped through the bridge, the sounds of his motor vanishing. Optimus stood alone, for the first time, he felt as if his actions lead the Autobots down this track… scattered… However, this moment of solace was immediately interrupted, by the sound of the monitor. Turning around, the Prime noticed that it was an encrypted relay signal, from none other than Knightwave.\

* * *

 **Meanwhile- The Med Bay**

"Whoa Starscream, I've gotta give credit to that clone of yours! Marvelous, seamless soldering!", Knock-Out gasped, as he gazed down upon the silver seeker, who was laying down on a medical berth.

"Enough gawking at my faceplate, and fix it already!", Starscream sneered, his optics looking over towards another berth, on the far side of the med bay.

"Fine fine, but you have to admit, for being your clone, he's quite the perfectionist.", the red mech smirked, thinking about how different the clones are to the original.

Not even looking at the doctor, "Tell me… how did it feel to rip Silas out of Breakdown's shell?", the silver seeker asked, with a dark tone.

"I beg your pardon?", Knock-Out snapped.

"It must've felt exhilarating, did it not?", Starscream smirked, his optics glowing a pitying red, "Holding such a weak creature in the palm of your hand, watching as it dies-"

"-That is enough!", Knock-Out yelled, his optics burning a hate filled crimson, "You know nothing of what I've been through!", he argued.

"Oh on the contrary, I do know, I've read The Nemesis' archives… not to mention that, I'm wearing the face of my enemy… in fact I'm surrounded by those who wish me dead- I've been through a lot- I've seen a lot- and as for you… Breakdown is the only thing you want, but as I see it… he's too far to reach.", the silver seeker grinned menacingly.

Growling, "What do you want Starscream?", the red mech sneered.

"Oh I'm glad you asked, I want my face back… my command back... And most of all I want Cybertron to be mine!", he laughed, his glare holding a dark presence.

"You have truthfully lost your mind…", Knock-Out grumbled, averting his gaze down, to hide his pained expression.

Giving a little sadistic chuckle, "Come now, how long has it been, since you re-claimed your conjunx's lifeless body? By looking at all that dust… ", the silver seeker grinned, glaring over at the tarped form.

Looking up with blazing, red ringed, optics, "And what?! You think you can bring him back?!", the red mech grumbled.

Smirking, "I didn't just come here with keys, I came with some very interesting data regarding that of ancient research… research that might sound interesting to someone like Knightwave.", Starscream implied.

Grinning, "How about this.", Knock-Out remarked, activating the energon cuffs on the berth.

"What's the meaning of this!", Starscream yelped.

"Let's make a deal- You give me the data, and say nothing to Knightwave about this, and I'll consider joining you, in reviving Cybertron.", the red doctor stated, "And I'll fix your face, free of charge.", he smirked.

Scowling, "How could I refuse such an offer…", the silver seeker grumbled.

Turning off the cuffs, "Oh and by the way… killing Silas, had the be the most blissful moment of my life.", Knock-Out laughed, as his optics blazed like an inferno of red.

* * *

 _ **{Meanwhile- The Harbinger}**_

A full moon loomed high in the night sky, shining its off white glow upon the darkness of the forest. The deep overgrown brush, made the makeshift entrance way of the Harbinger, appear completely invisible, as it lead down to the underground, half of the vessel. The once dark halls of the Harbinger, were lit enough, to make the ship appear as if it weren't buried for eons. However, the ship stood silent, no sounds rattled through the halls, nor were there signs of activity, rather the ship was dead silent.

In the far back of the ship, was a tightly sealed door, that had extra reinforcements to the outer layer. Within this tightly sealed room, was none other than Thundercracker and Skywarp, who were both guarding what appeared to be a storage room.

"I don't understand why, our Master demanded us to lock ourselves in this Med Bay.", the purple clone huffed, his single red optic squinting vigorously.

"Because if the Autobots, try to rescue their fellow comrades, we will be able to hold them off.", Thundercracker reminded.

"Please, they have to be fools, to try and go against us.", Skywarp remarked, displaying his new 'teleportation' ability he gained from his new alt mode.

Raising an optic ridge, "I am still quite baffled, about this new ability of yours.", the blue clone implied, "We both share the same alt mode, but yet I haven't gain such an interesting aspect."

"You jealous?", Skywarp chucked, his scared faceplate forming a broken grin.

Rolling his optics, "Please Skywarp.", Thundercracker sighed , looking away from his cocky counterpart, and back at a monitor screen.

"What's so interesting, about that data anyways?", the purple clone asked, immediately appearing next to Thundercracker.

"It's not just data, it's ancient research, about Spark revival… it's quite interesting…", the blue clone informed.

"Spark revival… what's so interesting about that?" Skywarp shrugged, glancing over at the sealed door, "What we should be interested in, are our prisoners."

Looking over his shoulder, "Them? They're no threat, and besides what can a human and an old mech do anyways?", Thundercracker scoffed, going back to analyzing the data.

* * *

Within the storage closet, Ratchet and Agent Fowler sat in intense darkness, with the only source of light, was the old doctor's dim blue optics.

"H-how you holding up, Ratchet?", Fowler asked, is voice horse.

Taking a deep vent, "Fine… fine… I've been in situations worse than this…", Ratchet mumbled, obviously not happy about being taken hostage, by Starscream.

"I know I've said this countless of times already, but… How in sam hell did we get in this mess!?", the agent nagged.

"Starscream has proven time and time again, how his cleverness can easily thwart our endeavors… that base attack was just another one of his tricks to lure us out, and distract the others long enough for him to, not only capture us but, secure the Omega Keys.", Ratchet sighed.

"Let me guess, the reason why he captured us, was to use us as an insurance measure, against Optimus?", Fowler questioned.

Closing his optics, "Oh no, no… Starscream, is more likely using us as a way to blackmail Knightwave, in aiding him complete Rigor Mortis' research, so he could claim the Emberstone for himself.", the doctor implied.

"Makes more sense, since you and that 'Con have been trading that data around, like it's a hot potato. However, what would happen to us, if Knightwave doesn't give him the data?", Fowler remarked.

"The most likely scenario, will be that we'll be terminated… on another note we might be rescued before Starscream's plan could take its full effect.", Ratchet shrugged, glaring at the door.

"I vote for being rescued, because Tomorrow is payday.", Agent Fowler concluded, taking a deep breath, before sitting in silence.

 _{I wish I was as optimistic as you… but as I see it, those clones are more cunning, and far more clever than Starscream ever can be.},_ the old doctor thought, hoping that their rescue won't take any more lives.

* * *

 _ **{Meanwhile- Med Bay}**_

Starscream's faceplate operation did not take too long, thanks the the remaining protoform scraps, that were leftover. Knock-Out gave a little grin at his handiwork, before he deduced stasis, waking the silver seeker, from his power down.

"Rise and shine, and wouldn't you call that the face of the Decepticons?", the red doctor chortled.

Slowly blinking his optics, Starscream gazed upon the reflective surface, of the polished metal, as he lifted one servo and touched his faceplate, "It's been quite a while, since I've seen my face this way… I must commend you on your work…", he complimented.

"You can save the praise for later, don't you have someone else you need to be focusing on?", Knock-Out pointed towards the far back of the med bay, where Knightwave was currently residing.

Grinning, "Why yes, of course… I nearly forgot, because I was too busy admiring your work.", the silver seeker joked, before stepping off the berth, "Keep a close optic out for Dreadwing, for me, would you?"

"Haven't seen him around, but if I do, I'll try to warn you.", Knock-Out assured.

"You're already proving, to be the perfect Second in Command.", Starscream chuckled.

"I try my best to please.", the red mech shrugged, as he watched as the silver seeker walked off, vanishing behind the laboratory doors.

Smirking as Starscream disappeared, the red doctor turned to face the tarped form of his deactivated conjunx, a scowl immediately carved its way into Knock-Out's, porcelain white, faceplate, _{If Knightwave couldn't revive you, why do I hope Starscream could…All of this is a lost cause… I should've just heeded Megatron's words… and move on…},_ Knock-Out thought, his red optics fading into a dimmed crimson.

* * *

"You there! What are you doing?", Starscream questioned, walking into the med bay's back room, pointing at Knightwave, who was standing in front of a monitor, "You're not contacting the Autobots are you?", he sneered marching over, only to notice that the screen displayed ancient Cybertronian text.

 _{Looks like my brother fixed his face… he's even uglier now, than he did when he got here.}_ , Tap-Out scoffed.

Holding back the urge to chuckle, "I was doing as you requested, I am a bot of my word… and the deal was to keep Ratchet alive, if I aided you.", the purple seeker explained.

With a slight scoff, "Well yes, of course… I'd expect much from a fellow seeker, after all.", Starscream implied.

 _{What a load of crap, Starscream has always been the traitorous type, and this is just a new low for him.},_ Tap-Out sneered, _{Just you wait, he'll get his end of deal, but not in the way he expects it.}_ she added.

Glaring into the silver seeker's optics, "You do know that Megatron will find out, and when he does… I'll make sure your spark, will stay deactivated.", Knightwave muttered, his voice low.

Smirking, "You know, I've seen your records, and I'm surprised that he hasn't deactivated you yet, after all, I know your true motives. I know what you're up to, and most of all I have something you want… other than the human and Ratchet.", Starscream remarked.

"Human!? What human?!", the same Eradicon, Starscream met in the hallway, questioned, as he came from a back room.

"You again?! Just who are you anyways!", the silver seeker exclaimed.

"It doesn't matter who I am, but rather the harm you're causing to a human!", the mech implied.

Squinting his optics, "Impossible, I deactivated you!", Starscream yelped, finally realizing who this unknown mech was.

"How does it feel to have two mechs, you thought killed, still alive, and aboard the same ship?", Knightwave sneered.

"This doesn't change anything! If you value both Agent Fowler, and Ratchet's lives, you will give me what I want!", the silver seeker threatened.

"And what exactly do you want!?", a growling voice came from behind a hidden panel.

Instinctively Starscream took a few, shaky, steps back, as a massive mech walked out, his red optics burning hot, "D-r-Dreadwing!", the silver seeker yelped, "I thought you were with Megatron!?", he gasped.

Walking passed Knightwave, "I was, but I asked to leave.", he growled, towering over the frightened seeker, a dark shadow castes over his form.

Dreadwing forced the cowardly seeker to a corner, as Knightwave glared, "Now we can have a formal conversation.", the purple seeker sneered.

"I-if you deactivate me, my clones will know! A-and-and you can say goodbye to Ratchet and Agent Fowler!", Starscream gasped, trying to find an exit.

"Oh no, deactivating you here, won't be the proper way of disposing you, rather… Dreadwing.", Knightwave nodded at the maroonish seeker, who placed his right hand over Starscream's chest-plate.

"W-what are you doing-", Starscream's optics suddenly turned white, as he felt a strange pull at his spark.

* * *

Snapping is helm around, "Did you feel that?", Thundercracker questioned, putting a servo over his chest-plate.

"Feel what?", Skywarp shrugged.

Squinting his optics, "Nothing… forget it.", the blue seeker implied, clenching his servos. _{Something doesn't feel right…}_

* * *

"It has been done", Dreadwing sneered, removing his servo off the silver seeker's chest-plate.

Squirming around, "What have you done to me!?", Starscream spat, getting back onto his struts.

"Served your spark-bond with your clones, now they won't be able to sense your imminent deactivation.", Knightwave informed, a slight grin on his faceplate.

Gripping his chest-plate, "H-how did you that!", the cowardly seeker questioned.

"Death is just another way, of realizing one's true potential, I discovered my true sight, after I was rendered deactivated, by your hand.", Dreadwing announced, "That is the only form of gratitude, I have to admit to you, and it is the last."

Walking up to Starscream, "Now tell us, what we want. Where is the research data?", Knightwave glared.

Lifting his servos up, as a form of surrender, "I don't have it, all I brought was the keys.", Starscream smirked nervously, "The data is back in the Harbinger- akk!"

Slamming the cowered against a metal wall, "He's useless! Permission to deactivate this pest!", Dreadwing growled.

Crossing his servos, "Smokescreen, what do you propose we should do?", Knightwave asked.

Optics shaking, "What! Y-your putting my life in his hands!? Just deactivate me already!", Starscream struggled in Dreadwing's death grip.

With a non-visible grin, "We could still use him to get inside the Harbinger, without causing any alarm with his clones, then lured them out of the ship, so we can rescue Ratchet and Fowler, while also jacking the data.", Smoke implied.

"Then we can deactivate him and his clones all at once.", Dreadwing grumbled.

Smirking, "Good plan, but you forgot one last thing… we'll need to destroy the Harbinger, so nobody else could get their hands on whatever is left of the archives.", Knightwave informed.

Concerned, Smokescreen spoke,"But all the ancient data-"

"We make our own history, whatever happened is the past is over, there is no looking back.", Knightwave sighed, "We better get moving, I've just gotten word that the remaining Autobots are on the move.", he stated.

With a nod, Smokescreen helped Dreadwing put Starscream in plasma cuff, as a measure of keeping him from bolting. Gathering what he had, Knightwave prepared himself for a possible battle, while Tap-Out read the message that Optimus sent.

 _{With this data, we'll be closer than ever, in discovering the Emberstone, and closer to reviving Cybertron… and finally bringing Breakdown back… I just wish that my brother could accept you.. Could accept us…},_ Tap-Out sighed.

"Your brother's mentality is the prime issue, he must first learn to trust himself, before he could trust anyone else… he has become his own worst enemy…", Knightwave sympathized, "And I know where he comes from, because I used to be the same way… he's got a dark road ahead of him, and it is his choice alone, to embrace the light, or remain a sparkless wanderer."

 _{I hope he realizes that soon…},_ Tap-Out uttered.

"-Apologies for interrupting your conversation with the femme, but I have to go retrieve Forge of Solus Prime, for I believe the Autobots will be in need of such a tool.", Dreadwing interrupted.

Nodding, "Good idea, without the Forge, Megatron won't be able to create more weapons out of Dark Energon.", Knightwave implied, "We'll be waiting-"

"-There will be no need to wait for me.", Dreadwing spoke, "I already know of the whereabouts of the Harbinger, I will meet you there.", he informed.

Hesitant to question Dreadwing's decision, Tap-Out replied, _{Tell him, we'll be seeing you.}_

Slightly nodding, "We'll be seeing you.", Knightwave remarked, which made the revived seeker to slightly bow in response, for he knew Tap-Out was the one who assured him.

As soon as Dreadwing departed, Knightwave turned his helm towards Starscream, whose red optics were locked on the purple seeker.

"Everything's set to go Doc.", Smokescreen implied, showing Knightwave a data storage device.

Turning towards a wall,"Good, I'll open a bridge to the Harbinger's location, and make sure he doesn't do anything.", Knightwave motioned towards Starscream.

Grumbling, "Where has Dreadwing gone, dare I ask?", the silver seeker sneered.

Looking over his shoulder, "None of your concern.", Knightwave responded coldly, as he opened a ground bridge.

Looking around, _{So opening bridges runs in the family… I can see why Megatron hasn't found out about you yet.},_ Starscream thought, " _Though, I've got a trick up my sleeve as well.}_ , he grinned, dropping a small device onto the metal floor, which immediately drilled its way down.

"Alright let's go.", Knightwave implied, as Smokescreen grabbed the silver by one of his wings, and escorted him through the bridge.

"Whip that smile off your face, or I will.", Smokescreen threatened.

Smirking, "What? I can't smile anymore? Besides, I'm no threat to you, see.", Starscream chuckled, displaying his cuffed servos.

Snorting, "Just you wait Screamy…", Smoke sneered, {Just you wait.}

* * *

As soon as they departed, unbeknownst of his presence, Knock-Out walked out from an over shadowed corner, his red optics burning a hot malice, "So this was your plan Screamer?", he humbled, "Don't lose your head if you fail again.", he spat, walking out of the back room.

"Knock-Out!", a growing voice called, "Where is Starscream, and Knightwave?", Megatron sneered, walking into the Med Bay.

Bowing, "I do not know my Liege, but I do recall seeing Dreadwing, heading down towards the artifact chamber.", the red mech replied.

Squinting his optics, "You know where they have gone, and what they're up to.", the warlord sneered, "Tell me, tell me everything."

* * *

 _ **End of Chapter notes:** Heyo, I know that it's been a while... but I've been very busy... working... yeah I've also had some writers block, because it takes a long time to type what has been written on paper... and well some parts I had to revise, and edit a lot of random stuff out. So I hope ya'll enjoy this chapter! _**THANKS FOR READING!**

 _PS- I am currently working on the next chapter so expect that in like a month or so, who knows it might come early, or it might come late, so Yeah!..._


	23. TFP: Sparkless Ch23: Divulgence Part 1

**Disclaimer** **:** _I do not own any of the Transformers characters in the TFP series, nor do I claim ownership of any_ _kind towards anything trademarked. This story is just for fun, and isn't connected towards the true lore behind the franchise. The only things I own are the OCs._

* * *

 **Chapter 23:** **Divulgence**

The dense forest, where the hidden hull of the Harbinger was residing, was quiet… too quiet. Not even the natural sounds of the night birds, and insects could make an ambiance. However, even though the forest was so dense, that the moon's glow couldn't reach the forest floor, a pair of fluorescent blue lights shined through the darkness.

"bweee didoiooo bweee bzzz" Bumblebee buzzed, pushing some brush out from of the way.

"After everything that's happened… You're saying we should head back?" Arcee sneered, her optics flaring, at the bee thought of abandoning Ratchet and Fowler.

The yellow mech stopped, and turned around, "Bweee bzzzoooiii dididizooo ziiiibweee!" He argued.

"No way, look where we are! Look where we have fallen! If we don't stop Starscream now, and save our comrades, what are we?" Arcee spat, "What are we Bee?"

Bumblebee couldn't find out what to say, he knew that Arcee was right, but he felt that without Optimus, they were truly at a loss, "Bweee zoiioo…" he hesitated.

Rolling her optics with a scoff, Arcee pushed Bee to the side, and continued on her way, only to be halted by the sound of heavy pedes.

"You know Arcee." A familiar voice boomed, "Sometimes the Scout is right, we are Autobots."

Pink and blue optics shaking, "Wheeljack?" Cee uttered, as both she and Bee turned around.

"Bweee doo diii zzzz bzzz?!" The Scout questioned.

"We're in the middle of a forest, pursuing Starscream, and you're wondering where I've been?" Wheeljack shrugged, "Well…might as well tell you." He waved, as of calling someone.

Then out of the shrubbery, came out a lean built, white mech. His overall frame, looked as if it were meant for speed, even down to the wings on his helm. If Miko were here to describe him, the only words she'd use would be 'Samurai' and 'Gundam', and that is the best description.

"Who's this?" Arcee crossed her arms, as she analyzed the unknown mech.

Using his thumb to point at his comrade, "This is Deadlock, I picked him up from what's left of Velocitron. He's here to help me put an end, to ol' Screamer." Wheeljack informed.

Raising an optic ridge, the blue femme, spotted what seemed to be, a defaced Decepticon symbol on Deadlock's chest, "So mind me asking, why you're friends with a Decepticon?" She sneered.

"Bweee dooo?!" Bee snapped, averting his gaze, at Deadlock's neon blue optics.

"Well you see…" Wheeljack began, only to be cut off, when Deadlock placed a servo over his chassis.

"I apologize for the inconvenience, but I have come to the realization that, lying to fellow Autobots isn't the best way to be introduced." Deadlock spoke, however his voice sounded rather…off…

The Yellow scout was the first to realize this, for his mind was fluttering with the speculations, and that was when it clicked, "Bweeeeezoooo!?" He exclaimed, causing Deadlock's optics to widen.

"How? I never met you before?" Deadlock tilted his helm.

Arcee and Wheeljack exchanged looks, as Bee buzzed his story to Deadlock, whose optics looked both shocked, and impressed.

Breaking the conversation, Arcee pointed at Deadlock, "Hold up! Are you saying that he's… that he's… that he's…" she hesitated.

Bowing his helm, "Indeed, he is correct, my true identity is Drift." The white mech revealed.

"After all this time we've been fighting together, you never decided to tell me this?" Wheeljack crossed his arms.

Raising an optic ridge, "I never saw fit to disclose my past, neither was I interested in disclosing my personal information." Drift informed.

Giving a slight chuckle, "Smokescreen was right about you." Arcee snickered.

Drift looked over at the blue femme, his optics bright, "I wasn't aware that you are in acquaintance with Smokescreen, foretell how does he fair?" He asked, only to notice that a still silence fell between the Yellow Scout and Arcee.

"I see… only a greater reason to rip out Starscream's Spark." Drift said with a slight grumble, walking passed the group.

Wheeljack who has no idea what transpired when he was gone, looked over towards the Autobots, "Mind me asking, what exactly happened when I was gone?" He asked.

Shaking her helm, "We gained another comrade… only for him to be deactivated by Starscream." Arcee informed.

Closing his optics, "Then I have to agree with Deadlo- Drift on this one… another reason to beat the living scrap out of a loose end." Jackie sneered, walking away.

* * *

 _ **{The Harbinger}**_

"Ugh! How long will it be, before we are able to leave this confined space?!" Skywarp groaned, as he paced back and forth.

Rolling his red-orange optics, "What's your hurry? We were given explicit instructions to remain here, while our Master tricks this Knightwave into coming here." Thundercracker implied, "And besides, our Master has already implanted the bug, into The Nemesis' mainframe." He added.

"But how long will it be, before we can leave?" The Purple and black seeker nagged.

Scowling at his counterpart, "I don't know, why are you in a rush anyways?" Thundercracker sighed.

"I don't know, I just feel rather jumpy! It's as if a tether was removed from my very spark, and I have the utmost feeling of freedom!" Skywarp implied, his back wings twitching.

Thundercracker raising an optic, "You know, to come to think of it… I too feel as if…" Just then, a loud bang cane from the large door, followed by the distinctive growling of Starscream.

"Open the fragging door, you fools!" Starscream yelled, banging his fists against the cybertronian metal.

Rolling his optics, Thundercracker waltzed over to a monitor, and with a few commands, the door slowly slide open, revealing a rather upset seeker.

"What took you two so long?" Starscream sneered, as we walked in.

"What took you so long? We've been cooped up in this blasted room, for cycles on end." Thundercracker crossed his arms.

Shooting at glare at his clone, "Obviously I had to get my face fixed." The silver seeker bestowed his polished faceplate, "And besides, he's here, your plan was successful." Starscream acknowledged Thundercracker.

Smirking his scarred face, "Then it's showtime?" Skywarp asked.

Grinning menacingly, "Indeed." Starscream responded.

* * *

{ _The data, this half of the ship has, is phenomenal!_ } Tap-Out gasped, as she read line after of line of data, that streamed into the shared processor.

"Funny how Starscream, was ignorant enough to lead us down to this part of the ship." Knightwave smirked.

{ _But the question remains, when do you think his 'plan' will take its effect?_ } the red femme asked.

"He's probably thinking we have no idea of his endeavors, that's why I sent Smokescreen to investigate." Knightwave implied, "Besides, Starscream believes I sent him back to the Nemesis."

{ _Good call on that one. If I were a Decepticon, which I'm not, I'd already have a back door ready to smuggle both Ratchet and that human out_.} Tap-Out remarked.

"Probably, But I just did a perimeter check, via satellite, there appears to be no form of exit, besides the entrance." Knightwave informed.

{ _One way in, and one way out… if anything goes south, I'll set up a bridge escape._ } Tap-Out assured.

Smirking at how well both he and Tap-Out work so well together, Knightwave retracted his data cords from the console, and took a formal pose, waiting for the silver seeker.

Not a moment too soon, Starscream came waltzing out, with Ratchet and Fowler in tow, filled by Skywarp.

"I take it, that your other clone is rather engrossed with the data I gave you?" Knightwave asked.

Smirking, "Yes, he is. However, as I see it… this deal was rather unfair." Starscream implied.

Moving a bit on his struts, "How so? I've given you everything, that you'd need to revive Cybertron, how is that unfair?" Knightwave questioned.

Looking over at Skywarp, the cloned seeker then snatched Agent Fowler, away from Ratchet, "The data you've given us wasn't he correct sequence." Starscream sneered, as his clone aimed the resonance blaster, at the human.

{ _Frag! How'd they figure it out!_ } Tap-Out cursed.

Starscream then roared a vial laughter, "You take us for fools, don't you!" He exclaimed, "But we're far more superior than you think!"

Laughing along with his master, "Nothing gets passed us, a trine like us always works better together" Skywarp grinned.

Just as Knightwave and Tap-Out were about to suspect the worst, a pair of hateful red optics, glew behind them, as a dark figure emerged from the wall.

Knightwave began to chuckle, causing the silver seeker to glare at him, "What's so funny? Laughing at your own defeat?" Starscream mocked.

Shaking his masked helm, "No, I'm laughing at yours." Knightwave remarked, which caused Starscream's wings to drop.

* * *

Just outside the Harbinger's entrance, were the group of Autobots, hiding behind brush.

"That Eradicon doesn't look like anything I've seen." Arcee whispered, "Where do you think it came from?" She asked, watching from afar.

"I have seen those before, Sniper model, build for speed, but bad in combat." Drift informed, as he gripped the handles of his energon blades, "Probably belongs to Starscream, we must act fast, if we wish to enter the ship."

Wheeljack crept ahead, "Then why don't we say hi?" He grinned.

* * *

Smokescreen stood outside the Harbinger, his new frame was feeling more like his own, and to come to think of it, he was rather enjoying it. The young mech, was told by Dreadwing to remain outside, in the event that Ratchet and Fowler needed an escort to escape.

Shuffling, Smokescreen wondered why Dreadwing was so late, but was also surprised when he noticed that the seeker had the Phase Shifter with him.

{ _Aw man, I'm probably missing some intense action!_ } Smokescreen bellowed, { _And that sword Dreadwing had, looked so cool!_ }

However, just as Smokescreen was about to get lost in his own fantasy moment, he heard the sounds of pedes headed for him. Then not a moment to soon, the young mech dodged an attack, moving as fast as he could to avoid being cut by a curved blade.

"I'd say you'd make a good dancer, but your tango is too fast!" Wheeljack exclaimed, repeatedly attacking.

The young mech couldn't believe what was happening, he was being attacked by a fellow Autobot! Well of course to Wheeljack, Smoke was a Decepticon.

"Look! I don't know who you are, but I don't want to fight you!" Smokescreen yelled, doing the best he could to dodge.

Smirking, "You sound young, too bad I can't let you live, Decepticon!" Jackie yelled, swinging his blades faster.

Using his helicopter blades, Smokescreen was able to move fast enough to gain some distance, from Wheeljack. Unfortunately, Arcee and Bumblebee came out of nowhere, aiming their sights at the young mech.

"Freeze Decepticon!" Arcee sneered, aiming her blasters at Smoke.

"Bweee dzzzzioooo doo!" Bumblebee commanded.

Doing as the Autobots demanded, Smokescreen put his arms up into the air, "You have to listen to me, I'm not the enemy here!" He begged.

"You sure as Pits, look like one to me." Wheeljack growled, walking up to the young mech.

Nodding his helm, "I may look like a 'Con, but I'm definitely not." Smokescreen implied, "Cee… Bee… it's me." He said, looking over at Arcee and Bee, whose expressions were that of shock.

"Bweeezooo?" Bee buzzed, putting away his blasters, and ran up to Smoke.

"Look Bee I'm…" However just as Smoke was about to say something apologetic, Bee punched the young mech across the helm.

"Ouch! What the heck man!" Smokescreen yelled.

"Impossible…" Arcee muttered, slowly walking up to Smoke, and slapping him across the faceplate, causing him to fall on his aft.

"Oh come on!" Smoke exclaimed.

Looking at Cee and Bee with utter confusion, Jackie put away his blades, baffled at what we just witnessed.

"Guys! Come on! What's with all the hitting and punching?!" Smokescreen whined, as he sat in the floor, surrounded by his fellow Autobots.

Glaring at the young mech, "First off… WHAT THE FRAG!?" Arcee yelled, "We thought you were dead! Everyone thought you were destroyed by Starscream!"

Rubbing the back of his helm, "Uh yeah that's a long story Cee…" Smoke uttered nervously.

"A long story? A LONG STORY?!" She spat, "Look at you! If it weren't for- errahhh! You'd be dead!" Arcee yelled.

Wheeljack who was obviously out of the loop, starred at the young mech, "Uh are you telling me, that this Drone is actually one of yours? The one who was killed by Starscream, not too long ago?" He questioned.

Nodding at her friend, "Yes, and he's got a lot of explaining to do." Arcee grumbled.

"Look guys." Smokescreen began, "I know that we got off on the wrong foot, but now isn't a good time." He implied.

"Beeeezoooo?" Bee asked, crossing his arms.

"Right now, Knightwave is trying to rescue Ratchet and Fowler, and in about a few minutes, they'll be running out." Smoke informed.

"Why would they be running out?" Wheeljack asked, only for the entire ground to start moving.

"What's happening!" Arcee exclaimed, as the floor began to crack.

"Bweee zooo codified dzzzz zzziii?!" Bumblebee yelled.

"Wait did you just say Drift?!" Smoke questioned, getting up on his struts.

"Now's not the time Smoke!" Cee hollered.

Then, ground around the Harbinger began to break apart, fire spewing from the cracks, "I've got a bad feeling about this!" Wheeljack yelled, as everyone ran away from the massive fireball.

Suddenly, in a massive explosion, the Harbinger was set ablaze. Fire spewed from everywhere, sending heat waves, that caught all the trees on fire. Then, out of nowhere, a ground bridge portal opened with Ratchet, holding an unconscious Fowler, running out.

"Ratchet!" Arcee called, waving her servos to get his attention.

With his blue optics shaking at the sight, "What are you doing here?" The old doctor asked, jogging over to the group of Autobots.

"Isn't it obvious? We were here to bust you out and Fowler out, but it seems someone already did that for you." Wheeljack implied.

Shaking his helm, "No no no… we are still very much in danger!" Ratchet exclaimed, "Knightwave underestimated Starscream's wit, but what he didn't expect, were for things to go south so quickly." He informed.

"What happened?" Arcee asked.

"It happened… so fast, but it felt like an eternity…" Ratchet began.

* * *

 _ **{Moments before}**_

Pointing a long digit at Knightwave, "What are you trying pull!" Starscream exclaimed, "Tell me! Or Agent Fowler will be reduced to…" suddenly from behind the silver mech, a pained yelp came from Skywarp.

Looking over to see what horrific event has happened, Starscream's optics began to shake wildly, as Skywarp began to falter. His clone's arm was once again severed, then the purple seeker stumbled to the ground. Standing over the shaken clone, stood Dreadwing wielding a long silver sword. The seeker then reached down, to pick up the unconscious body of Agent Fowler, not even looking away from Starscream.

Moving over towards Ratchet, "Doctor." The maroon mech spoke, handing the old doctor Fowler.

"Now what was that you said again? Something about an unfair deal?" Knightwave remarked, walked up to the silver seeker.

Sneering, "So it seems, I find myself in a rather sticky situation…" Starscream grumbled.

"Indeed you have, look at what being YOU, has brought you to." Knightwave pointed out, as the groans from Skywarp cloud the room.

"Prisoners set free, and two of my mortal enemies, ready to deactivate me…" Starscream uttered, only to notice a pair of blue optics glowing from behind Knightwave.

The silver seeker then made a nervous chuckle, "Make that three…" hu mumbled.

Tilting his helm, "Three?" Knightwave questioned, only for Dreadwing to rush over, and with his sword, blocked an attack from an unknown mech.

"Cyclonus? Impossible!" The white mech yelled, "You are nothing but a legend!"

Glaring angrily into Drift's optics, "Legends can be reborn, though that of hardship!" Dreadwing exclaimed, trying to keep the white mech from interfering.

However, in the midst of the unexpected attack, Starscream took advantage to the chaos, to make a run for it. Grabbing his clone by his only arm, the silver seeker, he dragged him over towards the back room.

Knightwave noticed his attempt to escape, and waved Ratchet over, to follow him. Reluctantly, the old doctor, with Fowler cradled in his hands, followed the seeker.

Meanwhile down the hall, "Thundercracker!" Starscream yelled.

Running from the archive storage, "Yes Master?" The blue clone asked.

"Blow up the place." Starscream sneered, "Active the ground bridge to these coordinates." He ordered.

"But it's not even a few yards away." Thundercracker remarked.

Glaring at his clone, "I want to make sure nobody makes it out alive, you take Skywarp to a secure location, while I- ." Suddenly, a massive shock round flew through the air.

"Now where do you think you're going?" Knightwave sneered, aiming his blaster, which looked very similar to Shockwave's, right at Starscream's face.

Scowling, "You… why would YOU want me dead? The only thing I've done was capture your Autobot friend, and blackmail you into giving me data…" Starscream began.

"Don't forget you killed two of his friends…" Thundercracker chimed in, only to get a glare from his Master.

"As I see it, that's more than enough to snuff your spark, but all that you've done before, deserves a harsher punishment." Knightwave sneered.

Looking back and forth, "Name one thing, that I've done to you in the past?" Starscream said smugly, believing that due to them never meeting prior to current events, Knightwave wouldn't be able to answer.

Then in a sudden transformation, Tap-Out stood in Knightwave's place, still aiming the shock cannon. Starscream and Thundercracker started widely at the change, both at a loss for words.

With neon violet optics burning, "You killed me." Tap-Out sneered.

* * *

 **[Cybertron- Final Days of the War]**

Explosions rattle the air, clouds of rust plume with every stray blaster round. The scene was brutal, Energon covered the ground, along with the battered frames of deactivated Cybertronians. The air smelled that of toxic waste, as the Decepticon forced a forward push, wiping out every last Autobot they find.

"They've broken through the third Barrier!" A grey mech with broad shoulders exclaimed.

"We can't keep them away!" An orange femme yelled, running passed a few bodies.

"Medic! Take what you can and leave! We can't sacrifice another medical aid!" The grey mech yelled over at a Red femme.

Running over towards her Commander, "In all due respect, I'm staying!" Tap-Out yelled, "I'm needed here, and as my duty as a Doctor, I will defend my patients!" She implied.

Grinning at the Doctor, "Spoken like a true Autobot…" He said, only to lean in and plant a kiss.

Blushing, "Sideswipe… are you sure this is the appropriate time?" Tap-Out asked.

Cradling Tap-Out's chin, "For Conjunxes about to pass into the Allspark, there is no other time to be appropriate." Sideswipe smiled, gazing his deep blue optics, into Tap-Out's.

On the verge of tears, "It's been an honor being with you." the red femme sadly smiled.

"I'll be seeing you." Sideswipe whispered pressing his forehelm against Tap-Out's.

Sideswipe immediately ran in front of the last remaining group of Autobots, "Autobots! Retreat towards the back line!" he ordered, while Tap-Out stood where she was.

Watching as her fellow Autobots run past her, Tap-Out instantly grabbed a communication device, and turned it to an outsourced channel. However, the channel wasn't picking up, so she ran with the others, hoping that it would pick up a signal.

Then… the sky began to shake, Tap-Out knew the sound, she knew that if they don't run fast enough… bombs fell. Black smoke. Energon spilled. Metal flew. The signal live.

Tap-Out immediately began to relay her message, hoping that the signal would stick, however in the midst of her typing, the signal died.

"No! No!" she uttered, banging the side of the device, hoping to finish her message.

Venting harder, Tap-Out had a sudden realization, that she was the only survivor… the frames of her fellow Autobots glitter the battlefield, as their energon seeped into the rusted ground. Then she heard the sound of pedes… no struts, the particular thump of a seeker.

"Come out, come out, you fragging Autobot." A sinister voice bellowed, his steps getting closer.

"Commander!" another voice hollered, "There!"

Tap-Out suddenly heard a low chuckled, the large slab of rusted metal she was behind started to crackle, as she noticed a large servo grip the top of her cover. Leaking coolant, the red femme hesitated to look up, only to lay her sights on a pair of menacing red optics.

"Well, well, well." the seeker began, "What do we have here?" He laughed.

 **[Transmission:channel 1001:Relay: Tap-Out:]**

 _[Ratchet, if you get this message, then I have fallen in battle. My team was outnumbered, out gunned… and my Commander is one with the Allspark, the same for all those who fought. I will fight on, until my last vent, and I just want you to know, never give up. Wherever you are, I just want you to know, that you are my best friend… and tell my brother-]_

 **[Transmission:INCOMPLETE:SIGNAL LOST]**

* * *

 _{Update note}_

 _Sorry that the update took so long... I was very busy... I would've posted earlier, but I couldn't read the original written in my notebook, so I am currently typing the rest of the story, from the notes I took on my old iPod. The thing is, I had to find a charger for it, since the thing died a long time ago. Nonetheless, I am typing in the next chapter... so yeah don't worry about me abandoning this thing! Oh and I got some experience typing large stories, thanks to the classes I'm taking, so if this chapter looks more organized, than the others, than thank my teacher!_

 _Other than that, **Thanks for reading** my crazy story! I mean I never though other people would like it, due to the concept being so out there! I mean, I've re-read the entire thing {Found a lot of errors} but I re-read it, and now I'm back in action!_

 _I'll be seeing ya'll in the next chapter! Part 2!_


	24. TFP: Sparkless Ch24: Divulgence Part 2

**Disclaimer** **:** _I do not own any of the Transformers characters in the TFP series, nor do I claim ownership of any_ _kind towards anything trademarked. This story is just for fun, and isn't connected towards the true lore behind the franchise. The only things I own are the OCs._

* * *

 **Chapter 24: Divulgence {Part 2}**

 **{Previously}**

" _As I see it, that's more than enough to snuff your spark, but all that you've done before, deserves a harsher punishment." Knightwave sneered._

 _Looking back and forth, "Name one thing, that I've done to you in the past?" Starscream said smugly, believing that due to them never meeting prior to current events, Knightwave wouldn't be able to answer._

 _Then in a sudden transformation, Tap-Out stood in Knightwave's place, still aiming the shock cannon. Starscream and Thundercracker started widely at the change, both at a loss for words._

 _With neon violet optics burning, "You killed me." Tap-Out sneered._

* * *

Looking side to side, the silver seeker knew that Thundercracker, and himself, weren't enough to fight back this unknown force, he began to panic, "I-I don't even know who you are!" he yelped, backing up closer towards the groundbridge remote.

Death glaring the seeker, "Vos, final assault against Autobot resistance, you and a small bombing squad leveled the field, with one survivor. An Autobot field medic." Tap-Out sneered, her words as sharp as razors.

Thundercracker shot a gaze at Starscream, "Master… it's her…" he mumbled.

Vents shaken, "Impossible." Starscream uttered, "You were… I saw your frame! It was in pieces!"

Sneering, "So you knew who I was, even before my frame was taken part!" Tap-Out yelled.

{ _Watch it Tap-Out, Starscream looks like he's gonna do something._ } Knightwave implied.

"Well um, not really… I tend to forget my victims, shortly after I deactivate them… hehe" Starscream chuckled nervously.

Ratchet then stepped forward, "What a load of scrap! Knowing you, this was just another one of your plans!" he exclaimed.

Growling, "I have a plan for everything." Starscream sneered.

"Well, nearly half are successful." Thundercracker added, only to be backhanded by his Master.

With burning violet optics, "Then what's your plan now?" Tap-Out asked.

Grinning, "Simple…" Starscream chimed, "Escape."

The silver seeker, the pulled out the Groundbridge control remote, activating the system, which to his utter surprise opened up behind Ratchet. With a smirk, Tap-Out pushed Ratchet through, as he tried to keep Fowler from slipping from his grip. In that quick instance, the red femme shot her blaster directly at one of the ship's energon fuel pipes, not only igniting whatever fuel remained, but ricocheting off the pipes, and hitting the remote.

The entire ship began to shake, energon fire spewed from the pipes, setting ablaze to everything. Thundercracker tried his best to wake Skywarp, but the clone wouldn't open his optics. Looking up at his Master, all he saw was fear.

"You fool!" Starscream yelled, looking down at the remote, "You'll get us all deactivated!"

Glaring at the silver seeker, "A Captain always goes down with his ship." Tap-Out sneered.

"Then this will be your grave!" the silver seeker exclaimed, extending his clawlike servos, and swooping in for the attack.

{ _Typical_ } Knightwave spat, taking control of the Data cords, and using them, the same way Airachnid uses her extra limbs, to dodge.

Glaring at the red femme, "How!?" Starscream growled, trying to swap at Tap-Out, to no avail.

"Two minds are smarter than one!" Tap-Out exclaimed, turning her forearms into sharp, vibrating plasma blades.

Looking around the exploding ship, Starscream only knew of one route to escape, it was a far fetched idea, but he needed to get out. Looking over at Thundercracker, and the unconscious Skywarp, the silver seeker had to think fast… faster than two minds in one.

{ _If I try to run, I'd be left with only myself… I need my trine, but with this Knightwave being ever so clever… why must I always be caught in such predicaments!_ } Starscream internally cursed, glaring at the red femme.

Suddenly, without warning, the ceiling began to burst into flames, filling the room with suffocating heat. Taking this opportunity, Starscream grabbed Thundercracker's wrist, who then grabbed Skywarp, and navigated towards an escape pod room.

{ _Didn't I warn you about the blasted place literally exploding!_ } Knightwave yelled.

"Yeah, yeah! Tell me when we deactivated Screamer!" Tap-Out rersponded, pursuing the silver seeker.

{ _Well you better hurry!_ } Knightwave implied, only for the wall in front of them to crumble, revealing that of Dreadwing, who broke through the wall.

"Where is Starscream?" the maroon seeker implied.

"Escape pod room, just down this hall!" Tap-Out informed.

Nodding his horned helm, "Then we mustn't allow him to escape, he dies now!" Dreadwing sneered, rushing past the red femme.

{ _Where did Dreadwing get that sword? I swore he said he was going to retrieve the Forge of Solus Prime._ } Knightwave pointed out.

"Now's not the time." Tap-Out pressed, run after Dreadwing.

Then, walking out a wall of flames, was that of Drift, who watched as the red femme, rushed through the burning halls. Glaring his blue optics, the white mech felt a strong wave of detest. He had never felt so much hate, so much built up rage, he wanted vengeance, he needed it. Gritting his denta, Drift griped the hilt of his blades, and silently followed Tap-Out.

{ _Starscream will surely pay for his mistakes, I will not stop my endeavors, until his spark is in my hand._ } Drift sneered to himself.

* * *

 _ **{Meanwhile}**_

Wheeljack, Arcee, Bumblebee, and Smokescreen, ran towards the exploding half of the Harbinger. The very ship looked as if it, were rising from the ground, revealing the entire half.

Peering down into the smoldering haul, "Looks like a volcano, about to erupt." Arcee stated, her optics shaking.

"Then we better get inside, and get Drift and this Knightwave out, before this forest turns to Ground Zero." Wheeljack implied, jumping down the hole.

Looking over at Arcee, and Bee, "Did he really jump down there?" Smoke asked, while they both gave him the same, surprised look.

"Bweeee zooodiiidoooo bzzzz beezzziiddzz?" Bumblebee asked.

Shaking her helm, "I don't know Bee, without Optimus…" Arcee paused, "... I don't know what to do…" she admitted, "It's too dangerous for us to go down there, Ratchet and Fowler are safe, but we have allies who might need our help."

"No sacrifice, no victory." Smokescreen uttered, only for him to jump down, into the flaming inferno.

Shooting a glare at Bee, "What did he say?" Arcee asked.

"Beeezoo dooozz beeezoo zzzzdooo." Bumblebee repeated, he too jumping down to the ship, followed by Arcee.

* * *

Running towards one of the untouched escape pods, Thundercracker placed his unconscious brother into one of the seats. Meanwhile Starscream began to punch in commands on one of the consoles.

"Master, are you sure this'll work?" The blue clone questioned, his voice rather shaken.

Glancing at his clone, "The escape pods eject from the top of the Harbinger. Thus, I'm positive that all the earth from above, has been shifted enough for a safe launch." He stated.

Nodding his helm, "I'll get secure." Thundercracker implied, running into the pod.

{I hope this'll work.} Starscream thought, shrugging his shoulders.

* * *

 _ **{The Nemesis} [Sometime after current events]**_

"Lord Megatron, we are approaching the Harbinger, and it's on fire!" An Eradicon exclaimed, displaying the burning ship on the holographic monitor.

Scowling, "Bring us in." The warlord sneered, "In any event Starscream is still there, this merits us to engage."

"Soundwave." Megatron implied, "Go retrieve our medic." He ordered, walking out of the control room, and out into the flight deck.

Not a moment too soon, Soundwave and Knock-Out both walked into the flight deck, with Megatron looking over the edge. The inferno down below, made the night sky glow a deep red, that was reflecting off Megatron's gunmetal finish.

"So if what you told me is true, Starscream was the culprit for all of this." Megatron began, "He was deliberately sabotaging my plans, blackmailing Knightwave into give him information for the exchange of his tenancies towards ruling Cybertron, and he attempted to deactivate Dreadwing, just because he was jealous that he couldn't be my SIC?" He questioned.

Nodding his helm, "You are correct Lord Megatron, Starscream has always been the type to betray and swindle. He on purposely tried to devoid Knightwave from his duties, by trying to manipulate him into working for him." Knock-Out informed.

Raising an optic ridge, "Foretell, what was the reason again?" Megatron asked.

"He had data regarding that of Spark revival… it was apart of a set needed to reconstruct the Emberstone." The Red mech implied.

Smirking at the Doctor, "Then we must move in, if we want to 'rescue' Knightwave." Megatron remarked.

Bowing, "Of course my liege." Knock-Out responded.

However, before the red doctor could walk away, "Oh and Knock-Out, would you please inform Dreadwing, to meet me at the Harbinger, I believe he would enjoy tearing apart Starscream. I do love watching my subjects scrap a traitor." Megatron grinned menacingly.

Slightly nodding, "Of course Lord Megatron." Knock-Out responded.

Once Knock-Out departed, Megatron glared down at the burning ship, a clear scowl upon his faceplate, "Soundwave, how much of what the Good Doctor, said was true?" The warlord asked.

"... I see, nonetheless, we have the keys to the Omega Lock, and that is all we need." Megatron sneered, "On my command, activate the Nemesis' forward cannons. I hope you don't mind killing your brother a second time."

Megatron then transformed into his Cybertronian jet alt mode, and flew down towards the inferno. Soundwave stood absolutely still, his processor fluttering with mixed data. The Communication Chief was taken aback, as his emotions suddenly came back online. All the memories he put behind hundreds of layers of mental blocks, began flooding back into thought. His very being began to rattle, his processor was on the verge of overload, even his visor began flashing memory after memory.

Then in an instant, it stopped. Soundwave was brought to his knees, never before has he felt such a massive crash, his lost emotions began to repair his drives, no longer was he Sparkless… for now, he has truly seen what he has done, what he has become.

* * *

 _ **{The Harbinger} [Current time]**_

The interior of the Harbinger began to break part, as the energon pipes began to ignite. The sounds of bending metal, and popping support beams, shook the very floor. Steam puffed from overheating vents, while black smoke filled the ship. The entire place looked like a warzone, even down to rust particles falling from the ceiling. Dreadwing was in hot pursuit of the silver seeker, with each stride, smoke whirled around him, as he kicked up dust from behind. His once polished maroon finish, was now flat, and covered with scorch marks, but that didn't bother him. His only goal, was to sever the head of Starscream, for not only the death of his Brother Skyquake, but his very own.

Dreadwing knew this feeling of vengeance all too well, it was his driving force, his reasons for joining a cause he detested. The Decepticons at one point were that of traditional honor, a faction with the sole purpose of protecting the ancient ways of Cybertron… but that all changed, when Megatron lost his mind. However, Dreadwing followed Megatron's new corrupt system, thus converting the sole purpose into that of whipping out the Autobots. It took Dreadwing until now, to fully realize that Megaton's true intentions were not that of tradition, but that of recreating a world with his image… an image of hate, and fear.

This then made him scowl, of how much of a fool he was. A fool blinded by his own nearsightedness, something he never considered himself bearing. Nonetheless, he knew that deactivating Starscream would solve nothing, but for some reason, he had to put an end to the silver seeker. If he doesn't put an end to him now, he'd feel as if he'd let his brother down, that he'd let Cybertron down.

Not slowing down, the maroon seeker saw his target, but one problem… there was a door in his way, and he wasn't in the mood of phasing through it.

* * *

 **BANG!**

Starscream turned around, his optics shaking, "Come on, come on!" He yelped, typing in launch commands.

"Master, what's the issue?" Thundercracker asked, his voice holding fear.

Typing as fast as he could, "The blasted monitors are more complicated than it seems!" Starscream exclaimed, hastily trying to find the coordinates for a safe place to hide.

"Just pick a nearby star system!" The blue clone hollered, noticing that the blast door was rattling… then a blade stabbed through, "Master!" he yelled.

The entire door was suddenly flung from its original place, nearly striking the silver seeker. With a loud gasp, Starscream finished the sequence, and high tailed it towards the escape pod, just as he was about to reach safety, a clawed silver servo, reached out and grabbed him by the arm.

Reaching with his free servo towards Thundercracker, the clone took his other arm. The scene looked like a tug of war, with the opposing side winning.

"You think you could have possibly escaped? You thought wrong." Dreadwing sneered.

Wincing at the pain, Starscream felt that his arms were about to be ripped out of their sockets, only to notice that the escape pod, started to make a beeping sound. Within a single moment, the doors of the escape pod closed, the force of the metal doors, cutting right through Starscream's arm, serving it as the pod was immediately launched from the Harbinger.

Gasping in pain, the silver seeker, watched as his only form of escape vanished before, that was when he met the floor. Energon spewed out from his severed arm, nothing he did stopped the flow, his optics flashed with the sight of so much of his energon lost.

"P-Please have mercy!" Starscream begged, trying his best to avoid eye contact.

Sneering, "How pathetic!", Dreadwing exclaimed, "Do you have any honor!?"

Looking side to side, "If it holds any correlation, I-I didn't mean to revive your brother! I-I didn't mean to kill you either!" Starscream pleaded.

"Does it look like I care, about your meaningless cries to spare your life." Dreadwing aimed his sword at the seeker's head, "All I care about, is putting an end to your existence."

"Oh no! Please have mercy!" Starscream cried.

"Dreadwing!" a voice called.

Turning around, the maroon seeker saw Tap-Out standing in the entrance of the room, her optics flaring.

"Oh thank the Allspark! Please spare me!" Starscream begged.

Shooting a glare at the silver seeker, "No mercy." Tap-Out spat, crossing her arm.

"No please… no no no no! Please!" Starscream yelled, as Dreadwing grabbed Starscream by helm, and dragged his squirming frame towards the exit.

Looking at Tap-Out, "The Harbinger isn't a suitable grave for scum like him, a place of knowledge should be left in peace." Dreadwing implied.

However before Tap-Out could speak, a voice came from the flames, "Then I too agree with you." a white mech emerged from the smoke filled hallway.

"You." Dreadwing sneered.

Unexpectedly, the white mech bowed, "Apologies for attacking you earlier, it has come to my attention, that we are all here seeking a similar goal." Drift shot a glare at Starscream, who began to thrash in Dreadwing's grip.

Crossing her arms, "Who are you anyways, and why are you after Starscream?" Tap-Out questioned.

"My name is Drift, and my reasons for wanting that seeker deactivated is for the loss of my team, the loss of my family." he informed, "He has dishonored them, by granting no mercy during the fall of Tyger Pax, and in addition he made a grave mistake taking the life of my closest friend." he sneered, gripping his swords.

Bowing his horned helm, "Then we shall all put an end to him together." Dreadwing remarked, realizing that this mech before him, was very similar to himself, both seeking vengeance for fallen allies.

Looking at both mechs, "Then I suggest we get moving, Knightwave informed me that the Decepticons are inbound." Tap-Out informed, walking ahead.

Acknowledging each other, both maroon seeker, and white mech followed the red femme, until she stopped, her optics looking around the burning vessel.

Putting her arm up, as a way to indicating to halt, "My scanner is picking up movement." Tap-Out implied, only for Drift to walk past her, gripping his swords, ready to fight.

{ _This one is very interesting…_ } Knightwave commented.

Then, out for a corner, walked out what seemed to be an Eradicon, who immediately caught sight of Drift, and the others, "Guys!" Smokescreen exclaimed, only for Drift to pull out a sword and aim it at his throat.

Rushing over, "Stand down, Drift!" Tap-Out ordered, "He's not the enemy!"

Tilting his helm, "My apologies." the white mech implied, sheathing his blade.

Smokescreen began to vent hard, if he had optics, besides the visor, he'd be leaking coolant, "Drift?" the young mech uttered, while out from behind him Wheeljack, Arcee, and Bumblebee walked up.

"Bweee zooo!" The yellow scout exclaimed, pointing at Starscream, who looked at the Autobots from beyond Dreadwing's grip.

"Drift, who are you're friends?" Jackie asked, looking at Dreadwing and Tap-Out.

"That would be Tap-Out, and Dreadwing, our inside 'Con spies." Arcee informed.

"Impossible, that isn't Dreadwing." Jackie remarked, only to get a glare from the seeker.

Gripping Starscream's helm harder, "Say what you like wrecker, but I am who I am, but not who I was." the maroon seeker implied.

{ _Seriously, we need to leave. Let's get this over and done with, and once we're out of the fire, then we can mingle_.} Knightwave said, hoping to get away, from the now crumbling Harbinger.

"Who said that?" Drift shouted, looking around the room, followed by everyone else.

{ _My name is Knightwave, the Autobots besides the wrecker and you, know who I am. I managed to tap into all of your communications, and like I said before, end it here._ }Knightwave implied.

"Where are you exactly?" Wheeljack questioned.

Raising her servo, "Right here." Tap-Out spoke up.

{ _We share a single form, I'm currently letting Tap-Out control, but if need be I can take over our shared form, but enough about me, we need to put an end to Starscream now, or we'll never get another chance._ } Knightwave informed, { _Megatron is coming, and if Starscream isn't deactivated by time he gets here, consider your plans of revenge gone._ }

Pushing passed the group, Dreadwing walked out of the Harbinger, tossing Starscream across the burning ground. Yelping with every rock he rolled over, the silver seeker looked over, only to notice that he was surrounded. Both Autobot and Decepticon alike, glared down at the former Second in Command, his petty cries only making them more agitated.

Transforming before everyone, Knightwave walked up to the silver seeker, "Starscream due to your crimes against all those who stand before you." He began, "You are hereby sentenced to that of immediate deactivation." the purple seeker sneered.

"For Cliffjumper." Arcee grumbled.

"Beeeezoooo diidoo zweee!" Bumblebee buzzed.

"For my brother, Skyquake." Dreadwing readied his blade.

"For everyone you betrayed." Drift announced.

Then out from the flaming forest, Ratchet walked out, his optics set on Drift, whose faceplate held that of surprise, "For Agent Fowler, and for humanity." he added.

Trembling, "Please… h-have mercy…" Starscream gasped.

Glaring down at the silver seeker with a blank visor, "All out of it." Knightwave sneered.

* * *

 **End of Chapter notes:**

 _Well obviously I had fun with this chapter because of how fast I typed it up! I'm currently writing the next chapter, and if ya'll know yer TFP episodes, ya'll should know what should be happening next! whoop we're going to Cybertron! That's enough 'spoilers' well, they're not technically spoilers because I completely changed the outcome of the overall plot, so yeah!_

 **Thanks for reading** _this weird story of mine! and I'll be seeing ya'll in the next chapter!_

 _PS- The notes I had on my old iPod were so different from that of the original I wrote, I just decided to combine the two, and now the story has just leveled up. Like Tap-Out and Knightwave, two stories combined are better than one hehehehehehehe._


	25. TFP: Sparkless Ch25: Darkest Hour

**Disclaimer** **:** _I do not own any of the Transformers characters in the TFP series, nor do I claim ownership of any_ _kind towards anything trademarked. This story is just for fun, and isn't connected towards the true lore behind the franchise. The only things I own are the OCs._

* * *

 **Chapter 25:** **Darkest Hour**

Megatron flew over the burning remains of the Harbinger, in a quick instance he transformed, landing just mere feet away from the spewing fire. Glaring around, he caught sights of what seemed to be a pool of Energon, it's bluish glow contrasting against the red hue of the flames. Giving a slight sneer, the gunmetal warlord crossed the flaming field, casually striding up to the lifeless frame of his former Second in Command.

Laughing maniacally, "So it seems that I'm late for the gutting!" Megatron roared with laughter.

Picking up the severed head of Starscream, "And it looks like you were the main course." he grinned, only to toss the head aside.

Pacing, "It seems that you've got what was coming to you, Starscream." Megatron grinned, "Too bad I wasn't here to see it happen."

Looking down at the cut frame, "And by the look of things, it was one brutal deactivation." he smiled, "I wonder, if it was the first strike that killed you, or did you live to witness your body being sliced to pieces, before they granted you mercy."

Chuckling, "Nonetheless, I'm glad you were deactivated so humanely, if I were to have done it, there'd be nothing left to show." Megatron spat, walking off.

"Soundwave." Megatron activated his com-link, "What is the issue?" he asked, only to be stopped in his tracks, "I see…" he grumbled looking back at Starscream's frame, "See to it that you find them, and once you do… bring them to me, dead or alive."

Giving one last look at Starscream, "Dreadwing may have betrayed me, but from looking at what he did to you, I might consider sparing him." Megatron spat, transforming into his jet alt-mode, and returning to the Nemesis.

* * *

 _ **{The Autobot Base}**_

Optimus Stood before the group of Autobots and Decepticons alike, his optics holding that of much disappointment. However, the Prime was thankful that due to Starscream being gone, the Autobots had just gained more allies.

"Arcee, even though I do not approve of the actions you and Bumblebee have done today, I am proud that you were able to rescue Ratchet… and Agent Fowler." Optimus hesitated, looking down at a military ambulance, that drove off without sirens.

"Optimus." Knightwave spoke up, "I am truly sorry of what had recently transpired, I should've informed your team of Smokescreen's survival." he bowed, showing his utmost apologies.

Taking a deep vent, "If you were to have sent the message earlier, I too would have gone, but due to our ground bridge being unstable, I wasn't able to take part in your quest, for it only had one jump left before total deactivation." Optimus implied.

Shaking his helm, "Optimus, I'm not like any Autobot, being on the side of wrong for so long changes how we express ourselves… even when we try to do a right, somewhere along the lines, it's a wrong." the purple seeker remarked, "This quest, was both… but as you can see, even after we accomplished our main objective, there is still something missing…"

"Satisfaction…" Drift spoke up, looking at Smokescreen with a solemn glare.

"Indeed." Dreadwing nodded.

Closing his optics, "Death is the harshest form of punishment, but most do not deserve such a fate." Optimus foretold, "Some, like Starscream, deserve something far more than just the bliss of the Pitts… an eternity living with what they have done, only to come to terms, of who they are, that is a satisfying punishment."

Slowly nodding his helm, "You're right…" Knightwave sighed, "Nonetheless, what has been done, is done… and it's something we cannot take back." the purple seeker walked over towards the cracked monitors, "However, there is one thing we can, take back."

Ratchet walked up next to Knightwave, "Cybertron!" he gasped.

Nodding, "Optimus, in the message I sent you, I also included attached data files of my discoveries." Knightwave implied.

"Indeed, and I have compiled them in the sequence you instructed." The Prime remarked, walking up to the monitors, and with a flip of a switch, they displayed a near complete image of the Emberstone.

Looking up at the image, "Great, now let's add the data Tap-Out and I decoded from the Harbinger…" the purple seeker muttered, attaching his data cords into the Autobot's mainframe.

"It appears that the data is still incomplete, two more pieces are still yet to be decoded." Optimus pointed out.

"And what is this Nexus, I keep decoding?" Ratchet questioned, "Nearly all of the current data, refers to this 'Nexus' being required to finish the sequence."

Shaking his helm, "I do not know, does the Star Saber have anymore encrypted data?" Knightwave asked.

Optimus gave the purple seeker a look that said it all, Knightwave only responded with a small nod, "So it was destroyed…" he mumbled.

"Not exactly." Smokescreen spoke up, running towards the base's crumbled halls, and not a moment too soon, he walked out holding the broken blade.

Looking down at the dull blade, "There is only one thing that could repair it, but I'm not sure if we are in possession of it." Knightwave sighed.

Walking up, "I haven't been as helpful as I should be." Dreadwing implied.

Waving his servo, "No need to degrade yourself, Megatron had probably disposed of the Forge, before you could obtain it." Knightwave said calmly.

Shaking his horned helm, "That is what you do not understand, for I have obtained the Forge." Dreadwing stated, pulling the sword, he hand on his back, and in a surprising transformation the sword converted into that of the Forge.

All the bots in the room stood still, this entire time Dreadwing was in possession of the Forge of Solus Prime, but it was converted into that of a sword. Optimus was the most surprised, for during his time as an archivist, he had read countless of documents that dated back to the 13, and none have documented the Forge being that of a sword, and a hammer.

"How is this even possible?" Knightwave asked.

"Ever since you have revived me, I have been experiencing things I never considered that of possibly obtaining, nor would I have ever considered being real. Similar to how I learned the ability to sever Sparkbonds, the Forge had taught me many things, that I hadn't disclosed to you. For Solus herself told me, when the time is right, I must reveal my secrets" Dreadwing informed, his red optics holding a sorrowful look.

"What a strange predicament… I considered the possibility that you were worthy of the Forge, when you informed me of when you could wield the Star Saber… but I never thought Solus Prime could talk you…" Knightwave uttered, clearly flabbergasted.

"That's so cooooool!" Smokescreen cheered, only for Bee to push him into Drift, whose face looked slightly amused, but at the same time holding a scowl.

Optimus gave a serious look at the maroon seeker, "What prophecies has Solus Prime disclosed to you?" Optimus asked.

"Solus still speaks to me, she tells me of a past I never lived, and she disclosed information regarding that of the Nexus, and how to 'Forge' it." Dreadwing implied.

With his blue optics widening, "Has Solus told you, how she is able to speak to you?" The Prime asked.

Nodding, "Indeed, she is speaking to me, through that of the Allspark… through that of the Great Sword." Dreadwing implied.

Knightwave opened his visor, his violet optics holding that of shock, "So the legend is true, the Great Sword is real…" he gasped.

"Mind me asking, what's going on?" Arcee asked, followed by a buzz from Bumblebee.

Taking a deep vent, "The Great Sword was… is a mythical weapon of great proportions. It was forged from the core of a dying star, the same exact core the Star Saber was birthed from… you could say they were sisters." Knightwave began, "Unlike that of the Star Saber, the Great Sword could only be wielded by one mech…"

"Cyclonus." Drift inserted, gaining a nod from the purple seeker.

Continuing his tale, "Solus Prime forged both swords as a countermeasure to use against that of Unicron, however after the battle… after the victory, and sacrifice, the Great Sword vanished from existence… only for it to end up here… as the Forge… remarkable…" Knightwave uttered.

"I deem it quite amusing, how events lead us to this moment." Dreadwing remarked, "Nonetheless, the power of the Great Sword is far from being complete."

"How so?" Optimus asked.

Looking at the Forge, "We need to repair that of the Star Saber, and bring them both to the Omega Lock." Dreadwing informed.

"Wait, didn't Alpha Trion and Rigor Mortis tell you something, about the Omega Lock?" Arcee asked Optimus.

"Indeed, they both foretold a prophecy, depicting that of us using the Omega Lock to restore that of Cybertron." Optimus responded.

Knightwave searched through his memory banks, but nothing came up, about Optimus' vision of Rigor Mortis, { _It seems that he left out some important information._ }, Tap-Out muttered, she too searching for answers.

"Why haven't you told me this?" Knightwave questioned, "This would've helped us soon, this would've changed how current events have been laid out."

Tilting his helm, "My apologies, Knightwave, I wasn't deliberately trying to hide your foreseen involvement in a prophecy predicted in the past. Nonetheless, I came to the conclusion that neither Alpha Trion or Rigor Mortis wanted me to disclose this information to you, until we were all brought together." Optimus apologized.

"Till all are one…" Knightwave gave a slight chuckle, "Mortis would always use that phrase… and it took me until now to understand it." he walked up to the monitors, "She knew that one day we'd be brought together, and now here we are…"

"Together we will fight." Drift nodded.

"And together, we will revive our home." Ratchet chimed.

Shrugging, "What the heck, I've got nothing to lose anyways." Wheeljack smirked, standing next to Bumblebee, whose optics were glistening.

"I'm ready when you are." Arcee implied, crossing her arms.

Optimus was at a loss for words, it took one bot to bring everyone back together again, and then some. Now on the verge of victory, the Prime couldn't help but smile.

* * *

 _ **{The Nemesis}**_

Megatron watched tenaciously, as the Omega Keys formed an image of the Omega Lock, and its location on Cybertron. The warlord was both happy, and annoyed at the same time. Knock-Out had taken his sweat time, figuring out how the keys worked, nonetheless with the location discovered Megatron knew what he had to do. Without that of Knightwave's research, the Emberstone was out of the picture, but that wouldn't stop him from obtaining it, one way or another.

Growling at the fact he had just lost two of his most valuable assets, Megatron walked into the Bridge. However, Soundwave wasn't in his usual spot, for he had moved near the massive overlook, glaring out the window.

"Soundwave!" Megatron beckoned his attention, "Any luck with locating that of Dreadwing, and Knightwave?" he asked.

Raising an optic ridge, "Is that so?" the warlord implied, "Regardless, I want you to send troops to the coordinates I provided, just in the event the Autobots have located the whereabouts of the Omega Lock." Megatron commanded.

"Oh and Soundwave, set coarse to this Jasper, Nevada… and burn it down…" Megatron grinned, walking out of the bridge.

* * *

 _ **{Autobot Base}**_

Drift stood quietly near the exit of the base, with his arms folded, he watched as all those around him work diligently. Even Wheeljack was putting in his two cents, by helping Bumblebee push all the debris aside, so the others could walk down the hallway with ease. Not even realizing it, Smokescreen was watching him, it hasn't even been a few cycles since they were reunited, but he had questions… a lot of them.

Feeling as if he was going to explode, the rebuilt young mech walked over towards Drift. His red visor flashing with both excitement, and nervousness.

"Drift." Smoke spoke up, catching the white mech's attention.

With saddened blue optics, "If you wish to bombard me with queries about my survival of Tyger Pax, and the events that brought me here… I wish not to share my upbringing." Drift remarked, his voice holding much disdain.

Shaking his helm, "No… I just wanted to know, how you're holding up… I mean…" Smoke hesitated.

With a deep sigh, "I understand… we have been separated for so long, I doubt we share much in common anymore… you have taken the path I wish I've taken. One that leads down to that of righteousness…" the white mech admitted.

"You're not talking about me… are you?" Smokescreen asked, looking over his shoulder, and directly at Ratchet.

With a surprised expression, "Even after eons of our separation, you still figure me out faster than any mech… you've never changed…" Drift sighed.

Putting a hand on Drift's shoulder, "You should go talk to him." Smoke advised.

Shaking his helm, "I cannot… when I'm near him, my spark pounds like a hammer against metal… I thought I lost him eons ago, during that of the Great Exodus…" Drift uttered.

"It's a small universe, isn't it?" Smokescreen internally smiled, "Go and have a chat, maybe that'll break the ice."

"What does that mean?" Drift asked.

"In Earth terms, it means relax a little, and just talk." Smoke cheered, walking towards Arcee, who looked like she needed help moving some energon crates.

Cracking a smirk, "Though your appearance has changed, you haven't changed in the slightest…" Drift mumbled, looking over towards Ratchet, "I hope you're still the same…"

* * *

 _ **{The Nemesis- Medbay}**_

It was quiet… not even the low buzzing of the dim lighting, made a difference in the stillness of the Medbay. It was as if the room itself, acknowledged the fact that, it has seized being that of any particular value. Hidden in a furthest room of the Medbay, was the covered form of Breakdown, relocated after Knightwave departed.

Sitting down with his helm hidden within his hands, was Knock-Out, in front of him a monitor with a video playing on loop. It was a message from his sister, that he'd discovered shortly after he was interrogated by Megatron. Luckily he stretched the truth enough, for the warlord to believe him… nonetheless after watching this video, he wished we left with her.

"So you knew how I was feeling all along…" Knock-Out muttered for umpteenth time, taking small glances at Breakdown.

Angry at himself, the red mech listened to video, his sister sounded so depressed, so fearful. Her words sounded like his own, as she described her death, her love, and most of all her regrets. She regretted many things, that also included turning her back on her only brother. This didn't help much, however, it was as if she hiding something, or better Knightwave was restricting her from revealing something. Knock-Out knew his sister well enough to know when she was lying, and to know when she was scared. This video was filled with that suspicion.

Sneering, "If I only knew, I'd gone with you." Knock-Out grumbled, stopping the video and walking into the main part of the Medbay.

Looking rather distraught, the red doctor felt as if he was nothing without Tap-Out, and Knightwave keeping him company. He was all alone, even his spark beat was slow paced… and his affections towards the covered form of Breakdown's lifeless frame, wasn't enough for him. For the first time, Knock-Out felt that due to his actions, leaving him behind was a group decision… both Tap-Out and Knightwave knew him so well, that they knew if they brought him along, then their plans wouldn't have played out so well.

"I guess I'm good at playing the role, of a Decepticon." Knock-Out sighed, and just when he thought nothing could go wrong, the Medbay doors slide open revealing that of Soundwave.

Rolling his red optics, "Now what do I owe the pleasure? I've already told Megatron all I know, and besides he's got the coordinates to the Omega Lock…" Knock-Out began, only to be cut off.

 **[Shut up and listen to me]** Soundwave spoke, causing the red mech to glare wide eyed at the dark violet seeker, for he had never heard him speak before… like EVER.

"Hold up! Y-you can talk!?" Knock-Out exclaimed, pointing at shaky digit at Soundwave.

 **[I've been watching]** Soundwave voiced, **[But not telling-Wondering what you were up to-tell me]** He remarked.

Looking side to side, _{Knightwave must've been adopted…}_ Knock-Out thought, watching as Soundwave got closer.

"If you were watching, then you should already know." Knock-Out implied, glaring into the darkness of Soundwave's visor.

Pointing towards the back room, **[No surveillance]** The Communications Chief informed.

With a smug expression, "Now why would you be interested, in what happens behind closed doors?" the red doctor questioned.

Suddenly Knock-Out was taken aback when Soundwave pinned him down, **[Knightwave is in danger, along with the Autobots]** he exclaimed, his robotic voice holding what seemed to be fear.

Scowling, "When did you give a single frag about him, and the Autobots?!" Knock-Out spat.

Lifting his visor, for the first time in Eons, Soundwave's vibrant red and violet ringed optics glistened like a stars, even down to his black pearl faceplate, overall he looked exactly like his brother… Knockout was flabbergasted, never had he thought he'd see the silent seeker's faceplate. Even when his visor was damaged, Soundwave would avoid any contact… and he could see why… his face was left untouched, while everything around him changed… his face was the last thing he had, to remember his past… and brother that he murdered.

Closing his red optics, "I see…" Knock-Out sighed, "Would you please get off of me…" he mumbled, as the seeker let got of his grip.

 **[Where are they?]** Soundwave queried.

Wiping some dust off his chassis, "First you tell me, why are they in danger?" Knock-Out glared.

 **[Made mistakes-wish I could take back-Megatron is planning to attack-kill all enemies and obtain the power of the Omega Lock]** Soundwave informed.

"Does he know exactly where the base is located?" the red doctor asked.

 **[No-only knows of location of most reports- Jasper, Nevada]** the seeker implied.

Putting a servos over his mouth, "If he levels the entire area… by the Allspark…" Knock-Out gasped, "We need to relay a signal, we need to warn Knightwave!"

Shaking his helm, **[Not using Nemesis servers-Megatron has tech group scanning for his signal.]** Soundwave warned.

Shrugging, "Then were can we possibly relay a signal, without the risk of detection?" Knock-Out question, only for Soundwave to drop his visor and display a location, "Oh right." the doctor uttered.

* * *

 _ **{Autobot Base}**_

Drift slowly made his way towards the old doctor, his neon blue optics shaking like mad, as he neared the white and red mech. To come to think of it, they both sported similar colors, in a way Drift realized that over the Eons of separation, had resulted in him wearing Ratchet's colors. Giving a smirk at how things turned out, Drift hadn't realized that he ended up bumping into the old medic, causing him to yelp from the unexpected contact.

"My apologies!" Drift exclaimed, trying not to sound nervous, but ultimately failed.

Turning around, the old doctor only gave a smile, "So now you've decided to chat? I was holding back the urge to talk to you, it seems that you were doing the same." Ratchet remarked.

Smiling nervously, "I was actually trying to avoid any form of verbal interaction…" Drift admitted.

Taking a deep sigh, "I don't blame you for trying to avoid me." Ratchet implied, "Our separation wasn't done on good terms…" he paused.

Shaking his helm, "No, it wasn't… and I have to admit, that I regret ever doing so in the first place." Drift remarked.

"Drift, don't blame yourself for what happened, we had no control of the situation!" Ratchet argued.

"I was in charge, Ratchet, and they died while under my command!" the white mech shouted.

"Then why do you bear the mark of the Decepticons? Is that why you left? To hunt down your so called 'mistakes'? Am I one of them?" the old doctor shuttered, his optics flashing.

Closing his optics, "No! You're not one of them! You were never a mistake! I just needed time alone…" Drift wept.

"Time alone hu? Well had it ever occurred to you, during your 'alone time', that I needed you? That after eons fighting, hadn't you realized that without you, our bond would fade?" Ratchet rebuked, causing everyone nearby to pause.

"I've regretted leaving your side, the moment we parted ways… For the longest time, I was walking down a shadowed path, I saw what it was like to be the enemy, and sometimes I enjoyed it… my spark still yearned for the grace being around you brought… and even now I miss the time we shared back home…" Drift admitted, his frame trembling from the pain he was enduring.

Ratchet however, stood with his arms folded, it was as if he couldn't relate to his former friend anymore, the mech that stood before him was a broken version of the original. With a helm shake, the old doctor walked away from the shivering Drift, his spark belonged to someone else… someone who he lost eons ago.

* * *

Watching as Ratchet departed down the hall, Smokescreen was at a loss for words. He watched as Arcee, Bumblebee, and Wheeljack walked over towards Drift, comforting the shaken mech, but at the same time he was overly confused.

"Okay… not to be that guy, but.. What in Alpha Trion's bread, just happened?" Smoke questioned.

Closing his optics, "Remember back during our training for the Elite Guard, I told you that I was hoping to be transferred to the Tyger Pax division?" Drift implied.

"Oh yeah, and I tried to convince you, to be transferred with me, to Iacon." Smokescreen remarked.

Shaking his helm, "The main reason I wanted to be transferred to that division, was because my Conjunx Endura was currently residing there." Drift revealed.

Looking over towards the hallway, "Well that kinda explains everything… you both have a common attitude problem…" Smoke implied, getting a slight chuckle from those around him, including Drift.

"I unfortunately, haven't been completely honest about my age either… even though I may look like a young mech, I am far older… I even predate that of Orion Pax by a few hundred Stellar Cycles." The white mech informed.

If Smokescreen had normal optics, they'd be as wide as everyone else's, "Wait! If you're older than Optimus… No way! How did you get into the Elite Guard!?" the young mech asked.

"I had some help… nonetheless my youthful appearance was enough for me to slip through without the suspicion of my true age." Drift sighed, his processors still booming from what had just transpired.

"Well you fooled me… I bet big spire shoulders, didn't give you a second glance." Smoke implied.

Rolling his deep blue optics, Wheeljack was the first to ask the question, "How in the fraggin' Pits, did you and the old Doc meet anyways?" He questioned, get a buzz from Bee who also has that question burning.

With a sigh, "Prior to the war, I wasn't much of anything to be honest. I was just a bot without a cause, without focus." Drift spoke, his voice held much sadness, "Ha in a matter of fact, I was nothing… just a wanderer hoping to find his next meal, and praying there wasn't someone to end your life… But just like always, trouble found me… and the next thing I knew, I was looking into the optics of a freelance doctor, who in fact was new to his craft." he vented.

"So if it weren't for you getting your aft handed to you... you and Doc Bot wouldn't have ever met?" Wheeljack remarked.

Nodding, "He saved my life… he freed me from my blindness… only for me to gain it back through my sheer ignorance…" Drift scowled at himself.

"You shouldn't blame yourself." Arcee spoke up, "Scrap happens, and there is nothing we can do to change the past, but we can change our future." she implied, "If I were to have dwelt in my past, without facing it head on, then where do you think I'd be?"

Drift couldn't think of a proper response, for what the femme was saying was true… he does think about the past too much, he does blame himself for everything, and most of all he blames himself for what happened between him and Ratchet.

With a shaky vent, "You're right… I forgot what it feels like to be around other bots, who have felt the same way, I'm feeling right now… but after all this time… I don't think Ratchet will ever forgive me…" Drift uttered, his neon blue optics swelling.

"There are always second chances." Smokescreen implied, "We all get a second chance, no matter how far gone, we think we've fallen." he remarked, his red visor flashing.

Looking up at the young mech, "So you have changed… you've learned humility… something I wish to learn… maybe from you perhaps?" the white mech implied, gaining a sincere and much needed hug, from a friend he thought he'd lost.

Smiling at Arcee, "That was a quick resolve." Jackie chimed.

Rolling her optics, "We have a knack for solving things pretty quickly." Arcee replied.

"Bweee zoo dididoo weee." Bee buzzed, walking off to finish cleaning.

"Hey! What do you mean by 'From time to time'?" Arcee scowled, following the yellow mech, causing Wheeljack to chuckle.

Looking over at Smokescreen and Drift, the Wrecker couldn't help but smile. Clearly the two were best friends, from the way they were keeping each other at ease, even after the recent conflict Drift had with Ratchet. However, it gave him a slight feeling of anger, not that he was jealous of their friendship, but his spark ached for his best friend. To him, killing Starscream wasn't enough, he was just one 'Con, and he wasn't even present for Bulkhead's deactivation. All Wheeljack wanted to do, was to put a sword through the brain module, of the 'Con who snuff his friend's spark.

 _{And even after I do that, I won't stop until all the 'Cons, are wiped from existence.}_ Jackie thought, his optics burning a hot blue.

 **[DOO DEE DOO]**

The Autobot base's communication relay blared throughout the base, it's distinct sound vibrated through the halls, catching everyone's attention. Rushing down the crumbled halls, Knightwave, Optimus, Ratchet, and Dreadwing, walked into the main center of the base. Ratchet immediately ran up to the main console, ignoring that of Drift, and focusing his attention to the screen.

"Ratchet." Optimus spoke, "What is the issue?" the Prime asked.

Shaking his helm, "It's a direct video transmission… from the Harbinger?" the old doctor implied, obviously confused.

"Accept the call." Optimus remarked.

Nodding at the Prime, Ratchet accepted the relay, and as soon as he did the display monitors began to render the transmission. To everyone's surprise, Knock-Out was on the other end of the feed.

"Knock-Out?" Knightwave questioned, walking up to get a closer look, "How did you get aboard the Harbinger?" he questioned.

 _{Wait, is he actually helping us, for once?!}_ Tap-Out uttered, her voice filled with shock.

"Thank Primus I got through…" the red doctor cheered, "Look you don't have much time, Megatron his coming, and he knows where you are.. Well not exactly, but he's bringing the Nemesis, and if you don't act now, he's going to level Jasper." Knock-Out warned.

"How does Megatron know of our location?" Optimus questioned.

"You don't have time to ask questions like that! Look, here are the coordinates for the Omega Lock, if Megatron knows you're there, then he'll have no choice but to pursue you, and ignore Jasper." Knock-Out implied, sending the coordinates to the Lock.

"How much time do we have, until Megatron arrives?" Smokescreen asked.

"In mere minutes, do you have access to a space bridge?" Knock-Out asked.

Shaking his helm, "No, however with the power of the Forge we could repair our groundbridge, and convert it into that of a Space Bridge" The Prime informed, looking over towards Dreadwing, who had already begun repairing the bridge.

Nodding his helm, "Good...good… well I have to get going, before Megatron finds out we left." Knock-Out remarked.

Glaring at the screen with his violet optics, "Who are you with?" Knightwave repeated, only to notice that of a ground bridge opening up, and the video feed being disconnected.

 _{Soundwave… but how… why?}_ Tap-Out questioned.

"He must've defected…" Knightwave uttered, never would he have thought of his brother betraying Megatron… and now right before him, was proof that his brother had done the one thing, he never thought possible… he made his own choice.

* * *

It didn't take Dreadwing long to complete the Space Bridge, for the Forge held unlimited power, thanks to it being charged by the power, of the maroon seeker's very spark energy. Though they were on a time crunch, the remaining Autobots felt at ease, and were ready for the fight of their lives. Megatron was coming, but that just meant they had more time to achieve their goal, nonetheless without the assistance of Agent Fowler, Jasper was still in danger.

However, Optimus knew of one other human, who'd be able to help in this dire situation. Prior to have meeting Fowler, the Prime and his team had another human representative, someone they trusted to keep their secret at bay. Not taking the chance, Optimus activated the com-system, relaying a private server, with the codename NEST.

Arcee looked up at the Prime, his optics glaring at the monitors, "Optimus, do you think he'll answer, after all this time?" she asked, a shakiness in her voice.

"Even though we hold no correlation with the Captain anymore, doesn't mean he'll bypass our call." Optimus assured.

Knightwave, who was curious about Optimus' contact, approached the Prime, "Who is this 'Captain'?" he asked.

"Who ain't he?" Arcee smiled, "About a decade and a half ago, we were still hiding in plain sight, no base to call home. Even then we were in a heap of trouble, the Decepticons were hot on our trail, everywhere we tried to make camp, they'd beat us there." the blue two wheeler informed.

"And let me guess, this 'Captain' was the one who helped you guys find this place?" Knightwave asked.

Shaking her helm, "Not exactly." she remarked, "This place was Fowler's doing, but without the help from the Captain, we'd possible be marked as enemies, and be hunted by both 'Con, and human alike."

 **[DEE DOOO]**

The coms were suddenly brought to life, followed by the monitor picking up an image of a lean built man. The man was a few years younger than Fowler, however his hair was speckled with white hairs, making him look older than he was. His eyes were stern, deep set with a long scar running across his, lightly bearded face. Overall, this man looked like he'd seen more than his fair share of combat, even down to the magnitude of medals that decorated his military outfit.

Then he spoke, "Optimus Prime, long time no see." the man addressed.

"Captain Lennox." Optimus greeted.

Smiling, "It's Colonel now, but besides that, what is your reasoning for this call?" Lennox asked.

"The news you're about to receive, is quite new, thus I am not certain of you were given word... but Agent Fowler is no longer one of this world." Optimus spoke, his voice holding sadness.

"Wait… what are you say?" the Colonel asked, his blue eyes glistening, "What happened to Bill?" he questioned.

"He was murdered, by the Decepticons." Arcee sneered, "And if you don't call in the military now, Jasper will be in danger." she remarked.

Flabbergasted, "Then why aren't you doing anything?!" Lennox asked.

"Colonel, we are currently in between two crises, one of this world and one of our own. We are vastly outnumbered, and we only know of one outcome." The Prime began, "We need your Earth forces to distract the Decepticons while be return to our home, once we arrive the Decepticons will make a full retreat." Optimus implied.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, "Are you certain, they'll make a full retreat?" Lennox asked.

"I am positive, once the Decepticons know of our whereabouts on Cybertron, they'll have no choice but to intercept us there." Optimus assured.

Taking a deep breath, "I have faith that your plan will work, I'll call in all available support to that area." Lennox addressed, "And Optimus… I'm not doing this for you, this is for Bill." he stated, before the feed disconnected.

Turning away from the monitors, Optimus approached the ground bridge, while everyone, except that of Ratchet and Smokescreen stood in formation.

Nodding at the old Doctor, "Ratchet, activate the Ground Bridge." Optimus implied, as the distinct glow of the Space Bridge rumbled to life.

"Good luck." Smokescreen chimed, smiling at Drift, who was ready to Transform on command.

In that moment, all were one, all were ready to finally unravel the secrets of the Omega Lock… all were ready to finally unlock the secret of Rigor Mortis' data, and all were ready to return to Cybertron.

"Autobots!" Optimus announced, "Roll Out!"

* * *

 **End of Chapter notes:**

 _Welp this chapter was interesting... to say the least... and if you haven't read the IDW comics... it's CANNON! Ratchet and Drift in the comic are a couple and same for Knock-Out and Breakdown, so yeah! CANNNNOOOONNNNNN! Huehuehuehueheuheuheuehuheuheuheuheuheuhueheuheuhuehuehuehuhe_

 _Besides that, I had fun with chapter, and hey! It's the first chapter to have two words as the title instead of one! So yeah **t** **hanks for Reading** my weird aft story, and I'll be seeing you in the next!_

 _PS... Captain Lennox is an awesome charter, and I was happy when I actually got the chance to put him in the story..._

 _PSS what do you guys think of the story so far? Since I don't have my paper notes anymore, this entire part and onward is just from the top of my head..._


	26. TFP: Sparkless Ch26: Edge of the Blade

**Disclaimer** **:** _I do not own any of the Transformers characters in the TFP series, nor do I claim ownership of any_ _kind towards anything trademarked. This story is just for fun, and isn't connected towards the true lore behind the franchise. The only things I own are the OCs._

* * *

 **Chapter 26: Edge of the Blade**

In a burst of light, the vast wastes of Cybertron where illuminated by the distinct glow of a Space Bridge. Then with a hiss, two sleek Jets flew out of the portal, followed by ground vehicles, that drove at breakneck speeds, through the rusted jungles of scrap. Flying through the dusty air, both jets begin to circle the perimeter, both howling as they came in mere feet off the ground.

Unsuspectingly, a group of Vehicons was on patrol, only to be bombarded by a barrage of missiles, fired by the two jets.

"By the look of it, we're nearing the Omega Locks location." Knightwave radioed.

"Affirmative, I'll proceed forward." Dreadwing replied, flying towards the center of the massive rusted field.

Getting low to the ground, "Optimus, once we reach the location, I don't know what'll happen… but I just wanted to tell you, that its been an honor working with you." Knightwave implied.

{ _The same goes for me, as well._ } Tap-Out stated.

Internally smiling, "If it weren't for both of you, I don't know where we'd be right now." the Prime thanked, transforming back into mech mode, followed suit by the rest of the group.

Wheeljack gave a quick look around, his blue optics scanning the empty field, for anything resembling a lock, "Uh , I'd hate to state the obvious… but there's nothing here." he remarked.

The out from the sky, landed both Knightwave and Dreadwing, who slowly approached the center of the location, "Oh it's here… Optimus, Dreadwing." Knightwave called, as both mechs draw their swords, that were starting to glow.

"What is this?" Dreadwing asked.

Watching as both blades pulsate, "If Tap-Out's Theory is correct, then these swords acts as a backdoor measure, for summoning the Omega Lock." Knightwave implied.

"Then what do we do, to summon this lock?" Wheeljack asked.

Suddenly Dreadwing's optics begin to flash, the same for Optimus'. It was as if both were in a trance, both were getting the same message, except Dreadwing was getting his from Solus Prime, while Optimus was getting his from Alpha Trion. Then it was over, as both mechs looked around, and then at each other.

Lifting the Star Saber, the Prime aimed the blade at a horizontal angle, over the center of the area. The action then followed by Dreadwing, who crossed the Great Sword over the Star Saber. Unexpectedly, the area around the Autobots began to shake, as the floor below began to shift and glow.

"What's happening!" Arcee yelped.

With widened violet optics, "They're summoning the Omega Lock…" Knightwave uttered, as large pillars rose from the ground, forming a giant ring above them.

"By the Allspark…" Drift muttered, watching the giant structure light up with Energon.

* * *

 _ **{The Nemesis}**_

Megatron stood un-moving, watching as the Nemesis flew over the small town of Jasper. Nevada. An evil grin was stretched across his face, as he spotted what seemed to be a military blockade, with tanks and anti air vehicles. Nonetheless, the Warlord knew that if they were here, then the Autobot base shouldn't be too far away. However, Megatron's moment of bliss was halted, when the Nemesis' coms went blaring off.

[Lord Megatron! The Autobots are on Cybertron!] an Eradicon reported, [And they've successfully activated the Omega Lock!]

"Impossible!" Megatron yelled, "How were they capable of activating the Lock, without the Keys!?" he growled, looking towards Soundwave, "Tell Knock-Out to gather the keys, and rally a group of seeker to capture the Autobot's human pets! I've got a deal to make..." he ordered, a deep scowl embedded on his faceplate.

* * *

 _ **{Cybertron}**_

Right before the Autobots, the massive structure was finally completed, its overall height was massive, even the energon ring above, was so huge it lit up the darkness. Everyone was taken aback, none of them couldn't believe their optics, even the stoic Prime couldn't believe his own optics. Then, in the center of the structure, a large cylinder shaped control until rose from the ground. The unite appeared to have four slots, meant for that of the Omega Keys, however in the center of the control console were two glowing crevices, beckoning that of the Star Saber and the Great Sword.

Optimus and Dreadwing, gave each other a look, before approaching the control until, both taking opposite sides of the cylinder unit.

"Prime, once we place our swords into the lock, they will no longer exist in the form they are now." Dreadwing remarked.

Nodding his helm, "I know, but the fate of Cybertron depends on the sacrifice… and without the combined power of the Star Saber and the Great Sword, there will be no victory." Optimus sighed.

"Then shall we begin?" the Maroon seeker implied.

The others watched, as the two mechs insert the blades into the console, and in a flash of blue light, both swords began to glow. The entire area began to shake, as the floor started to glow a light blue, matching that of the swords.

Then the swords began to take a different shape, it was as if they were melding together to form another… another sword. Then it was over, and floating before them was a sword that none of them had ever seen before. Its blade was a vibrant blue, with many markings that went along its smooth, yet jagged form. The hilt looked like that of a samurai sword, but the pattern on it looked like energy flowing into guard, which was the center of the energy.

"Is that…" Drift uttered, his blue optics glaring at the forged blade.

"The Nexus." Knightwave asserted, his violet optics glaring at the powerful blade.

Suddenly, the Omega Lock started to shift, a white light appearing in the energon above, taking the form of a femme. Glaring up Dreadwing was the first to recognize the femme, his frame feeling as if it wanted to run up to her.

"Solus Prime…" the maroon seeker muttered, while everyone else stood frozen.

"Congratulations, for you have forged that of the Nexus Blade. My greatest, and most powerful tool." Solus remarked, "Nevertheless, I must warn you, it's power exceeds that of anything you have ever encountered. Given to the wrong hands, then our future is lost, to its spellbinding rage." her sea-foam green optics shining, "However, that is not all you I shall give you." the Prime implied, and in the palm of her hands formed that of a small device.

"A Key to Vector Sigma." Optimus gasped, as he was handed the key, that looked similar to the one he gave Jack.

Smiling at all the Autobots that stood before her, "Take care of that Key, for with it, you can unlock the secrets of the Emberstone." Solus Prime foretold, before looking directly at Knightwave, "Secrets that will not only benefit you, but that of all our kind." she concluded.

 _{Why was she looking at us?}_ Tap-Out asked, her tone sounding confused.

"Thank you Solus." Optimus bowed his helm, followed suit by everyone else.

Shaking her helm, "No thank you, all of you…" the Prime smiled, before fading away to non existence.

Knightwave turned towards Optimus, "We need to get that Key to Vector Sigma." he stated.

Shaking his helm, "No, you will." Optimus handed the key to the purple seeker, "I will stay behind, and guard the Omega Lock, and the Nexus." the Prime remarked.

"But Tap-Out and I, don't know the whereabouts of Vector Sigma." Knightwave implied.

Arcee put a servo and Knightwave's shoulder, "Luckily for you, I know where it is." she grinned.

Nodding at the two wheeler, Optimus looked over towards Bee, "Bumblebee you will occupancy Knightwave and Arcee, to Vector Sigma. Wheeljack, I'll need you to return to base, I've been given notification, that Jasper is in need of your services." Optimus announced.

Nodding his helm, "Hey Doc Bot, I need a Bridge." Wheeljack called, and not a moment later a space bridge opened, "Good luck." he said blandly, as he ran through the portal.

Watching as Wheeljack departed, Knightwave swapped over to Tap-Out, who then transformed into that of a luxury Earth vehicle, her over all alt-mode looked similar to that of her brothers, but with less flash and more dynamic venting.

"Nice ride." Arcee smirked, transforming into her motorcycle mode, followed by Bumblebee, "But I prefer to be more compact." she teased.

Snickering, "If I were my brother, I'd definitely take offense to that… however…" Tap-Out suddenly did a burnout, and took off faster than anything Arcee had seen before.

"Hey wait, you're supposed to be following me!" Arcee exclaimed, before speeding off after the red exotic car, followed by Bumblebee who casual drove off.

* * *

Taking a deep vent, Drift slowly approached the Nexus Blade. He didn't understand why the weapon was calling to him, he already had a set of swords of his own, but something about the glowing blade was seducing him. Dreadwing, who was standing watch of the blade, focused his attention towards the white mech. Dreadwing felt as if there was a connection between the well aged mech, and that of the newly forged Nexus Blade, but he also felt that he wasn't worthy of such a weapon, then just barely touching it would destroy him.

"Drift." Dreadwing spoke, snapping the white mech out of his trance, "Why do you approach the Nexus Blade, does it call to you?" he asked, causing Optimus to walk up to the two mechs.

Shaking his helm, "I do not know what came over me." Drift uttered, "It was as if this sword, is demanding me to come near."

The Prime looked over towards the sword, "This Nexus, is a strange tool. It's power I can feel it flowing through all that surrounds us." he remarked.

Nodding, "I too feel it's immense power, it's sickening to be near such a powerful weapon." Dreadwing muttered.

"Oh really?" a growling voice caught the three bots off guard, "Do tell, if this blade is as powerful as you say it is, then I hope you wouldn't mind if I were to… take it off your hands!" Megatron exclaimed, as he and a group of silver Eradicons walked out from a portal.

* * *

 _ **{Cybertron- Kaon}**_

The Trio of Autobots traversed what remained of Kaon's highways. The destroyed city was a disappointing reminder of what Cybertron used to be, and what it could possibly return to. Tap-Out looked over towards the massive structure in the middle of the city, the gladiator Colosseum… a place that she felt a heavy feeling of despair over.

 _{I don't blame you for feeling sorry… Sometimes life doesn't go the way we plan it.}_ Knightwave sighed, his voice shaken.

"Even so, we can always change the outcome." Tap-Out assured, as she followed Arcee to what seemed to be a large vault-like structure.

Transforming back into her standard mode, Arcee slowly approached the grand entrance, "Vector Sigma, is beyond this point." she informed.

She too transforming, "All this time… and Vector Sigma was right here… funny how Megatron hadn't realized it..." Tap-Out implied, walking up to the giant entrance.

"Bweee zooo, dididid dooo!" Bumblebee buzzed, rushing over towards the red femme.

Violet optics growing wide, "Scraplets? What scraplets?!" Tap-Out questioned, looking at both Arcee and Bee.

* * *

 _ **{Meanwhile}**_

"Megatron." Optimus sneered, his blue optics glaring into the Warlord's crimson.

Snickering, "So I take it that you found an even greater power, hidden within that of the Omega Lock… how unfair of you to not sharing such a find." Megatron implied.

"I will not allow you take this Sword." Optimus remarked.

Raising his optic ridges, "Is that so? Well what if I make you a deal." Megatron implied, as three seekers walk up, holding what seemed to be glass tubes.

 _[Optimus!]_ Smokescreen's scared voice boomed, from the Com-Link, _[Jack, Miko, and Raf have been taken, that includes Jasper!]_

Optimus' optics grew large as he glared down at the children, who were trapped within the glass tubes, all three were equally as frightened, "Megatron." Optimus pointed, "Release the children immediately!"

Smirking, "Release them, here? They'd be dead in a matter of seconds from Cybertron's toxic atmosphere." Megatron chuckled, "Poor choice of words Prime, however I would consider giving them to you, in exchange for that sword."

"If the Autobots are prepared to sacrifice themselves for my planet, I'll gladly do the same for theirs!" Jack shouted, from the container.

"Don't do it Optimus! Don't give him anything!" Miko yelled, slamming her side against the glass.

"Go ahead Megatron, do your worst!" Raf exclaimed.

Laughing at the children, "Look at your poor pets Optimus, they are willing to die for nothing! How amusing!" Megatron smiled.

Glaring at the Warlord, "Leave the humans out of this, Megatron. It is us you want, not them!" Optimus sneered.

Walking up next to Optimus, Dreadwing stood his ground, "And what, I ask, will you do with such a blade? It's power cannot be wielded by someone, of the likes of you." he sneered.

Scowling at his once trusted ally, "Simple, I'll not only use it to deactivate you for treason, but I'll also use it to destroy everything you Autobots cherish!" Megatron bellowed.

"You will try Megatron, but you will fail in the process, like how you failed keep Cybertron from becoming what it now." Drift spoke up, gripping the hilt of his sword.

Growling at the unknown mech, "I don't know who you, but by the Decepticon symbol on your chest, you too are a traitor, and must be destroyed along with everyone else!" the Warlord sneered.

The scene looked like an old western showdown, Autobots on one side, Decepticons on the other. Then out from behind Megatron a portal opened up, walking out from the glowing vortex was Knock-Out and Soundwave, both holding the Omega Keys. Grinning at the sight, Megatron approached the three Autobots, that stood in front of the Omega Lock's console.

"How about we make deal?" Megatron smirked, "In exchange for the lives of these humans, you care so much for, you step aside, and I'll consider letting you witness the beginning of the end."

"And if we don't?" Drift questioned.

Megatron then pulled out the Dark Star Saber, "Then, I hope you don't mind dying first." the warlord cackled.

* * *

 _ **{Vector Sigma}**_

The dark halls of Vector Sigma held a slight chill in the rusted air. After Arcee informed Tap-Out and Knightwave about the scraplets, she and Jack encountered during her first visit to the super computer, there was a high feeling of fear. Tap-Out couldn't shake the feeling, of the possibility of being eaten alive by scraplets, just the very thought of being eaten shook her.

 _{I hope this isn't a bad time to inform you, that our frame was forged out of composite materials… thus scraplets won't bother eating us…}_ Knightwave muttered.

Rolling her optics, "You could've said that before we all walked in here." Tap-Out sneered.

 _{Uhh yeah… I just remembered…}_ Knightwave chuckled nervously.

Suddenly, the Key started to flash, however instead of aiming towards the main area, where Jack retrieved Optimus' memories, the key lead the Autobots to a wall. All three bots raised and optics ridge, and just as Arcee was about to say something, the wall in front started to shift, forming a large archway.

 **[Speak name to verify]** a deep voice boomed down the darkened hallway.

Looking at each other, Tap-Out slowly raised her hand, holding the Key, "Tap-Out." she uttered, only to get no answer.

 _{Let me try.}_ Knightwave implied, taking control of the shared frame.

Standing in place of Tap-Out, Knightwave raised the key up, "Knightwave of Koan, assistant to Rigor Mortis." he spoke, and without a second too soon the hall started to light up.

 **[Access approved, verifying two additional guests]** the voice boomed.

Walking up next to the purple seeker, "Did you really have to say all that?" Arcee questioned.

Shrugging, "Beats me, but it worked didn't it?" Knightwave smiled.

 _{Seriously, did you really have to say all that?}_ Tap-Out asked, only getting a slight snicker in response.

Walking down the grand hallway, of the secret corridor, Arcee couldn't help but gawk at the ancient Cybertronian architecture. From the looks of it, this very hallway hasn't been touched in eons, even down to the floor, for it held a type of shellac that she hadn't seen since before the war.

"This place is amazing!" the two wheeler gasped, her blue optics looking around with awe.

"Bweee zoo didid dooo zeeee!" Bumblebee buzzed.

Grinning, "I'm just as surprised as the both of you." Knightwave remarked, "There were no known records of Vector Sigma having such a grand hall." he informed.

"Well, here we are! It seems that the Primes had many hidden secrets, and this place, and that key prove that history plays a major role in the future." Arcee smiled, her optics scanning every inch of the hall.

"Bweee zooo didididooo zeee." Bumblebee added.

Raising an optic ridge, "What do mean, I'm starting to sound like Optimus?" the blue femme asked.

Then without notice, the key Knightwave was holding, started to glow brighter, it's luminous white light nearly blinding the three bots. Suddenly the entire hall began to pulse, it's lighting began to change into various colors, as the walls began to morph around the trio.

"Dear Primus…" Knightwave uttered, as the entire area turned into what could be best described as a giant computer.

The walls of the area, were glowing that of a vibrant neon blue, with a dark metallic surface that seemed to pulsate with energy. The right before them a console similar to that of the Omega Lock's rose from the center of the complex. Look down at the key, Knightwave cautiously approached the console, placing the key into a glowing slot. In a flash of light, a massive wave of light shot out from the entity of the console, forming a holographic image… an image of Rigor Mortis.

Knightwave stood taken aback, just like the other two Autobots, he slowly lifted his visor, revealing his violet optics on the verge of tears. He couldn't believe it, nor could Tap-Out, who was commenting how beautiful the scientist looked.

[Knightwave.] the image spoke, her voice was grand, holding a magnitude of strength, and also that of majesty.

"Mortis?" Uttered the purple seeker, "How is this possible?"

[I take it that you have met up with the remaining Autobots, by now, and have learned a great deal of my research?] the image asked.

 _{She might be preset, to answer only a select amount of inquiries…}_ Tap-Out informed, figuring that Mortis must've created the hologram, as a way to answer Knightwave's questions.

Nodding his helm, "Yes I have, why have you kept this from me?" he asked.

[I kept this secret in order to protect you. To protect you from the dangers that follow. This research will not only revive that of Cybertron, but everything that fell during the war. The Omega Lock is one of the key factors of rebuilding the planet, that also includes the Allspark, the Nexus Blade, and you.] she stated.

"Me? What about the Emberstone?" Knightwave questioned, his optics glued to Mortis' faceplate.

[That is something I should've told you eons ago.] the hologram stated, [You are that of the Emberstone. Your spark has always been, that of Quintus Prime's greatest creation.]

Arcee, Bee, and Knightwave stood absolutely still, Tap-Out didn't even mutter a word, none of them dared to move, as the information began to sink in. None of them could even think of a rational conclusion, none of them couldn't even fully grasp what they've been told.

Gasping, "H-how is this even possible?" Knightwave uttered, his right servo over his chest plate.

 _{T-this cannot be true!}_ Tap-Out muttered, her voice shaken.

[Before I revived you, I discovered that your spark was different from all the others I've dissected. After talking to Alpha Trion about my discovery, he concluded that you were something special, something beyond that of anything he had seen.] She informed, [We came to the conclusion that your very spark was reforged by Primus himself, similar to how the Matrix was created to enhance that of normal sparks, into that of Primes.]

Shaking his helm, "That doesn't make any sense!" Knightwave shouted, "How am I the Emberstone!?" he questioned, his violet optics flaring.

[Knightwave, your very spark was a gift from Primus… you are the reincarnation of his favorite son, given a second chance to prove himself worthy, by reviving that of our home, and creating a new era for all to behold.] Rigor Mortis foretold.

Clenching his fists, "None of this makes any sense! If you were here right now, you'd seen for yourself how ludicrous this sounds!" Knightwave protested.

[I am here, all around, everywhere.] Mortis spoke, [My memory perfectly intact, secured within that of Vector Sigma, and what I am saying to you, isn't false data.]

 _{She-she's just a program… with no spark… no feelings...}_ Tap-Out muttered, her voice holding a heavy sadness.

"Then Mortis is really gone… and you're just a sparkless copy…" Knightwave sneered.

[Perceive me as you wish, but heed my advice. You must at whatever cost, revive that of Cybertron, and restore what has been lost.]

"I will." Knightwave muttered, "But I'm not going to do it for you, I'm doing it for the real Rigor Mortis." he stated, before swiftly turning around and marching out of Vector Sigma.

However before Arcee, and Bumblebee could leave, the computer spoke, [As for you Autobots, the last piece of my research.] then a strange vial of energon came out from the console.

Raising an optic ridge, "Wait, but the research was to find the Emberstone, why would we need to finish it now?" Arcee questioned.

[My research was never meant to find that of the Emberstone, but how to use it to revive Cybertron. Please take this gift, as a token of bringing Knightwave here.] she remarked.

Taking the vial, Arcee gave one last look at the still image of Rigor Mortis, before walking away, followed by Bumblebee, who gave a few more glances before walking out from the grand hall. Once out, they noticed that Knightwave had already left Vector Sigma, and was standing outside the large entrance.

"You alright?" Arcee asked, putting a servo in the purple seeker's shoulder.

Shaking his helm, "I'm confused... I just can't get a grip on what I just heard, that's all." Knightwave sighed.

Shrugging, "Yeah, me too… Has Tap-Out said anything about what just happened?" the two wheeler asked, getting a buzz from Bee.

Nodding, "She too is quite baffled, and is currently trying to figure out how my spark became intertwined with hers, if it was that of the Emberstone." Knightwave responded.

"Nonetheless, we got some major news to tell Optimus, and we were given this, before we left." she remarked, showing Knightwave the vial of energon.

With shocked optics, "Impossible… I believe what you're holding is Synthetic Energon!" the seeker gasped.

Looking down at the vial, "How'd you think Mortis knew, we needed this?" the blue femme asked.

With a small smile, "She knew everything…" Knightwave sighed, only for his com-link to suddenly blare online.

"Bweee zoo dididoo!" Bumblebee buzzed, rushing past Cee and Knightwave, transforming into his muscle car alt-mode, and speeding off.

Looking at each other, both bots couldn't believe what they were hearing. It seems while they were away, Megatron had not only attacked Jasper, but had also got the jump on Optimus and the others. Not wasting a single second, both transformed and took off towards the Omega Lock… Hoping that they won't arrive too late.

* * *

The trio of Autobots stood their ground, as they watched as Megatron approached them, with the Dark Star Saber in hand. The gunmetal Warlord had a sinister smile stretched across his faceplate, his piecing red optics never leaving Optimus Prime.

"Last chance Optimus." Megatron chimed, "Accept my deal, and the humans live."

Dreadwing looked over at the Prime, "Perhaps we should oblige him." He remarked.

"If these humans are as important as you say they are, then we shouldn't allow them any harm." Drift added.

Aiming his gaze at the children, "If my decision dooms the future of the Autobot cause on Cybertron, so be it." The Prime implied, "But I will never forsake our human allies."

Grinning, "Then step aside." Megatron ordered.

Scowling at the Warlord, the trio stepped aside, allowing Megatron and his seekers to approach that of the center console. Megatron slowly placed the Dark Star Saber back on his back, and attempted to reach for the Nexus Blade. However, the Decepticon leader couldn't even place a digit on it, without being stung by excruciating pain.

Grasping his singed servo, Megatron averted his gaze towards the Prime, "What kind of trickery is this?!" He spat.

Shaking his helm, "You do not know what kind of power you are dealing with, Megatron. Just like how you couldn't wield that of the Star Saber nor that of the Forge, that sword is beyond your control." Optimus implied.

Scowling, "Even though I don't have control over that sword, I however do have control of one powerful weapon." The Warlord replied, "Knock-Out, the keys if you please." He ordered.

"The Omega Lock is no weapon!" Drift shouted.

Showing his jagged denta, "It depends on the one using it." Megatron smiled, as he Knock-Out, Soundwave and a silver Eradicon seeker placed the four Omega keys into the console.

Once all the keys were inserted into the device, the entire Lock began to glow. Smiling the Warlord gave a few glazes at his seekers, that were holding the children. The gunmetal mech couldn't help, but chuckle at the sight of the cowering fleshlings.

"Now bear witness, as a new era dawns on Cybertron!" Megatron announced, "Behold, The age of the Decepticons!" He shouted, as the Omega Lock began to rattle, sending a beam of light straight into a destroyed building.

All those who were there, couldn't believe what they were witnessing. Within that instance, the once rusted building, that was on the brink of falling apart, was suddenly reconstructed! The entirety of the building was brought back to life, even its surface looked like new.

With wide blue optics, "By the Allspark!" Optimus gasped.

"It is true… Cybertron can be revived!" Dreadwing uttered.

 _{Knightwave wasn't bluffing…}_ Knock-Out thought.

Snapping out of his daze, Optimus took a few steps forward, his optics focusing on the Gunmetal Warlord, "You have what you want, Megatron." Optimus implied, "This conflict is between Autobots and Decepticons. Allow me to return the human to Earth."

Shaking his armored helm, "Oh, I wouldn't recommend it." Megatron spoke slyly, "They'd be much safer here." he smirked, gaining a scowl from Optimus.

"Is the space bridge, locked on Target?" Megatron asked a seeker.

"Per your instructions, Lord Megatron." the seeker replied.

Grinning, to the point his denta were fully visible, "Excellent." the Warlord mused, "Why rule only one world, when I could rule two." he implied, smiling at the Prime.

All three mechs stood still, all optics were focused on the bridge that opened above them, "No…" the three Autobots uttered, as they watched the Omega Lock shoot a beam into the glowing vortex.

* * *

 _ **{Autobot Base}**_

Ratchet was standing in front of the monitors, his optics focusing on the display, "Wheeljack, return to base, your ship has sustained major damage!" the old doctor exclaimed.

"We might have another problem, more serious than my ship's condition, Doc." Jackie proclaimed, only for the entire Autobot network to be disrupted.

Glaring wide eyed at the disruption, Ratchet tried his best to connect to Optimus' com-link, "Optimus, do you read? An unknown energy spike in Earth's atmosphere is crashing all my systems!" the doctor called, "Please tell me this is related to the activation of the Omega Lock."

Then, the sounds of pedes can running in from the base's entrance, "Ratchet!" Smokescreen shouted.

Looking at the young mech, "Is Mrs. Darby safe?" the old doctor questioned.

Taking deep vents, "Yes, but that's besides the point!" Smoke exclaimed, "You have to see for yourself!" he said hastily, rushing back towards the entrance.

Looking confused, Ratchet followed Smokescreen to the entrance, only to lay sights on a massive beam of energy, crashing into Jasper's desert. In the distance, the old mech caught a glimpse of the Jackhammer, racing towards the base, followed by a swarm of Insecticons.

"By the Allspark…" Ratchet uttered, rushing back into the base, trying to connect to Optimus.

"Optimus, if you're out there, please respond!" the old doctor exclaimed.

"Uh Ratchet…" Smokescreen uttered, as he started at a massive fortress that began to rise up from the desert.

With widened optics, "D-Darkmount… impossible…" Ratchet uttered.

* * *

 _ **{Cybertron}**_

Clenching his fists, Optimus watched as Megatron paced back and forth, chuckling manically as his plans were finally coming to fruition, "What's the matter Optimus? Can't stand defeat?" Megatron teased.

Scowling at his once Master, Dreadwing walked up next to the angered Prime, "You are a coward, for even thinking about Cyberforming Earth!" he proclaimed.

"And you are a coward for siding with the Autobots." Megatron sneered, "After all we've been through, after all we conquered, now you decided to turn your back on the Decepticon?" he scowled.

"No, the Decepticons turned their backs on me, turned their backs on Cybertron!" Dreadwing replied.

Raising an optic ridge, "If so, why didn't you leave sooner? I would've liked hunting you down, and ripping out your spark, the same way you did Starscream's." the warlord seethed.

"I was blinded by my own desperation to find the one responsible for the death of my twin, and my duty as a Commander to the cause I once supported. Now that I've been freed by my blind rage…" Dreadwing gave a short pause, after noticing the yellow scout creeping behind the Decepticons, "I can see more clearly." he stated, before looking over at Drift who tossed the maroon seeker a sword.

Suddenly, the Autobots were on the offensive, attacking the Decepticon seekers that held the three children captive. With and angry shout, Megatron charged his once Commander, slamming the Dark Star Saber down upon his blade.

"You think you can defeat me!" Megatron shouted.

Looking over to his left, Dreadwing spotted Arcee speeding towards the two, looking back at the gunmetal mech, "I don't think... I know!" he exclaimed, as Arcee slammed her Motorcycle form against the Warlord, sending the Dark Star Saber flying.

Then with one quick strike, Dreadwing sliced off the arm Megatron has stolen, sending it into the air, and with one kick it flew beyond that of recovery. Acting quickly, the maroon seeker ran over towards the Omega Lock, and with one pull he grabbed the Nexus Blade. It's overwhelming power surging through the seeker. With the Nexus now in his servos, the maroon mech gazed down at the Omega Lock, it was as if time stood still.

"Dreadwing!" a familiar voice called.

Turning slightly, the Maroon seeker caught a glimpse of Knightwave, who was helping the Autobots free the children, "Destroy the Omega Lock!" the purple seeker shouted.

"NO!" Megatron yelled, trying to get up, off the ground.

Dreadwing then looked over to Optimus, whose optics were blaring a bright blue, "You must, for the safety of humanity!" the Prime shouted, kicking a seeker and saving Jack.

Using both arms, the maroon seeker slammed the Nexus Blade into the control console, causing the entire area to shake. The large pillars of the Omega Lock, began to explode, sending chunks of metal and sparks into the air. Growling, Megatron picked up the Dark Star Saber, with his only servo left, and attempted to strike Dreadwing down.

However, Drift noticed the warlord about to make his move, and immediately ran over towards the maroon mech, "Look out!" he yelled, pushing the large seeker out of the way, taking the full force of Megatron's attack.

The scene was that of a horror show, for energon was everywhere, and the Dark Star Saber cleanly stabbed through Drift's torso. Dreadwing's optics were shaking violently, as Drift began to gasp. Coughing out fresh energon.

Laughing at the sight, Megatron forcefully yanked his sword out from the white mech, "My my my, now what do we have here? A hero who sacrificed himself to save a traitor? Or maybe an execution of one?" the gunmetal mech chuckled.

Dreadwing took quick action, and caught Drift before he fell, landing in the maroon seeker's arms, "You fool!" he cursed, "Why'd you save me!?"

Coughing up energon, "Legends never die…" Drift uttered, gripping his wound.

Cackling, "How pathetic! What happened to 'showing no fear', Dreadwing? Have the Autobots made you soft?" Megatron whipped his blade, cleaning the energon off its edge.

Glaring up, with burning red optics, "No, in a matter of face, they've made me stronger!" the seeker exclaimed, hosting Drift over his shoulders, and with one arm, swung the Nexus Blade creating a massive wave of energy that slammed into the Warlord, sending him flying into a pillar.

Violently, the Omega Lock began to blow, it's pillars began to collapse into themselves, sending more debris into the air. Looking over towards Dreadwing, Optimus spotted Drift slumped over the maroon seeker's shoulder, with wide Optics he activated his com-link.

"Ratchet, we need a ground bridge immediately! We have a teammate down!" the Prime exclaimed, rushing over towards Dreadwing, "Autobots, fall back into the Ground Bridge!" the Prime ordered, helping the Maroon seeker carry Drift through the bridge.

Knightwave, who was fighting a group of Eradicons, noticed that the other Autobots were bolting towards the Prime. Looking around the smoke filled area, the purple seeker caught a glimpse of Knock-Out who was rushing towards him.

"You need to trust me on this one." Knock-Out gasped, "Now pretend we've captured you."

Raising an optics ridge, "Why would I ever do that?" Knightwave questioned, only to notice Soundwave's data cores wrapping around him, "What's the meaning of this!?" he shouted.

 **[To keep Megatron from destroying Autobots- we need you with us]** Soundwave remarked.

 _{Maybe we should listen, if Megatron is in possession of us, he might back off from Jasper.}_ Tap-Out implied.

Glaring at Knock-Out, "I hope you're right about this." Knightwave sneered, hating the fact his brother has 'captured' him.

With a sigh, "Tap-Out you've better has sent a message to the Autobots already…" Knock-Out implied.

"And why is that?" Knightwave questioned.

Closing his optics, "You're gonna hate me for this…" Knock-Out uttered, "Soundwave.."

Within that instance, the silent mech sent a massive shock through Knightwave, putting both him and Tap-Out into immediate power down.

* * *

 _ **End of Chapter Notes:**_

Ok first off... wow... that took me longer than usual, mainly because I've been working on other art related things, but also because I haven't been watching TFP since Netflix only has the first season available... yeah shame on them for not extending the deal with Hasbro... cuz I really need to re-watch season 3, so I can type up the last few chapters _(Probably about 5-8 more)_... yeah you read that right! This story is almost over! I'm actually happy that it's coming to a close, not because it's a lot to type, but this is actually a big achievement! finishing a great story, with a just as great ending! I hope y'all are ready for this, cuz my heart is jumping, and it might skip a beat!

So other than that, **Thanks for reading** this far! I mean wow I'm so grateful for you guy who actually binge read this weird story of mine! and for those few commentators, thanks for your kind words, I'm so happy y'all are enjoying this fic!

 _PS- I got the name of this chapter from a Journey song that I've stuck in my head... hehehehehehe_


	27. TFP: Sparkless Ch27: Roulette

**Disclaimer** **:** _I do not own any of the Transformers characters in the TFP series, nor do I claim ownership of any_ _kind towards anything trademarked. This story is just for fun, and isn't connected towards the true lore behind the franchise. The only things I own are the OCs._

* * *

 **Chapter 27: Roulette**

When the Autobots fled into the ground bridge, the Prime who was helping Dreadwing carry an injured Drift, noticed that Knightwave was nowhere to be seen. However, from beyond the smoke, and fiery embers, Optimus caught a glimpse of the purple seeker, being confronted by Knock-Out, and Soundwave. Then, before he could inform his fellow Autobots, Optimus got a message from Tap-Out.

 _[You must go without us, we'll will be fine, we are among allies. You and the others must flee the base, Megatron has taken full control of the area, thus scattering is your best option… and that also includes the Emberstone data. We apologize for allowing ourselves to be captured, but Knightwave and I have some unfinished business to take care of.]_

Without a second thought, Optimus and his team retreated into the ground bridge, leaving behind Tap-Out and Knightwave. Nonetheless, the Prime felt a deep wave of concern for the safety of the two, for only Primus knows what Megatron will do to them. Once departed, Knock-Out went searching for his master, however it seemed that the Warlord had just disappeared. Hoping that he was deactivated, the red mech continued to search for Decepticon leader, as a way to 'play his part'.

Just when he thought Megatron was completely destroyed, Knock-Out heard chuckling from a pile of scrap. Then with a burst of fury, Megatron forced his way out from the pile of metal, his red optics burning. Energon leaked from a massive gash that was carved onto Megatron's chest-plate, while his severed arm sparked, nonetheless the gunmetal mech stood tall, with a smile embedded on his face.

Looking over towards the red doctor, "I see that this wasn't a complete loss after all." Megatron smirked, noticing Soundwave holding Knightwave.

Approaching the silent mech, "Taking a little nap?" the warlord smiled, grabbing Knightwave's helm and looked directly at the unconscious seeker's visor, "You'll come in handy when I need your knowledge of the Emberstone. Without that of the Omega Lock, I'll be in need of that relic."

"Lord Megatron!" Knock-Out spoke up, "What about the Autobots?" he asked, pointing at a closing ground bridge.

With a sneer, "We'll have no choice but to hunt them down." Megatron remarked, "They are currently in possession that powerful blade Dreadwing used to slice me… I need that kind of power, if we ever want to revive Cybertron."

"But Soundwave hasn't discovered the location of their base." the red doctor implied.

Glaring at the doctor, "Regardless, we have full control of the surrounding area, and have full surveillance of Earth's communication grid. There is nowhere the Autobots can hide from us."

"Lord Megatron!" an Eradicon seeker ran up to the towering mech.

Sneering, "What's the issue?" the warlord questioned.

Bowing his helm, "There is something you need to see." the seeker reported, causing Megatron to raise an optic ridge.

* * *

 _ **{Autobot base}**_

The Autobots were on high alert, once they entered the base Ratchet was already prepared for the injured teammate, however what he didn't expect it being Drift.

"Optimus… what happened?" Ratcheted asked, rushing over to examine the injured mech.

"Megatron tried to smite me, however Drift took full force of his deadly attack…" Dreadwing informed, "… not even mere seconds after I destroyed the Omega Lock…"

"You destroyed wh…" Ratchet stood agape, the old doctor couldn't believe what he was told. Disregarding Dreadwing's last statement, Ratchet collected his bearings, and helped Optimus lay the gasping Drift down, on a berth.

With shallow vents, the white mech opened his dimming optics, "I should have never left…" he gasped, wincing at the pain.

"Drift." Optimus said, "You should retain your energy." He cautioned.

Slowly shaking his helm, "I'm finished Optimus… I can feel my very Spark fading." Drift muttered.

"No you aren't!" Ratchet exclaimed, "You're not dying on my watch."

Painfully smirking, "Y-You're a good doctor… but I-I am a terrible patient…and an equally terrible Conjunx" Drift uttered, "...I'm sorry for leaving you… for walking away from you during morning… for e-everything…" He croaked, his optics dimming until their neon cerulean faded to black.

Ratchet and the others stood silent, it was a feeling they all knew too well. Arcee and Bumblebee released the children from their containers, and they too stood silent. Even though they never met Drift, they felt a way of sorrow, for the fallen Autobot. Unexpectedly, Ratchet broke that silence by slamming his fist into the wall, the shock of his punch shook the very base.

Covering his mouth, "How could I let this happen…" The old doctor muttered.

Putting a servo on Ratchet's shoulder, "He gave his life to save mine, and I'll ensure that his sacrifice won't be in vain." Dreadwing assured, bowing his horned helm as a way to show his gratitude.

"Sacrifice? You think his death was a SACRIFICE!?" Ratchet snapped, "You don't know the meaning of the word! Drift was murdered because you didn't keep your guard up! If any of you kept your guard up, then the Omega Lock wouldn't have to be destroyed! If you kept your guard up, then this war would have NEVER happened!" the doctor yelled.

Squinting his red optics, "Are you implying that, it was my fault for Drift's deactivation?" Dreadwing scolded, recalling when Knock-Out blamed him for the death of Breakdown.

However, before the situation could escalate any further, the sound of pedes slamming against the concrete ground, echoed from down the entryway. Emerging from the hall, was Smokescreen, whose red visor was flashing.

"Hey Doc, some bad scrap is going down outside! And I think Wheeljack might be in deep trou...ble..." the young mech stopped for a moment, only to realize that everyone was there, except Knightwave and Drift.

Panning the room, Smoke couldn't help the feeling that he'd just walked in, at the wrong time, "Uh… what's going on?" he asked, looking around to see if the absent Autobots were just covered by the others.

Scoffing at the clueless mech, "Oh, I'll tell you what's going on!" Ratchet announced, only for Optimus to lay a hand on the aggravated doctor's shoulder.

"That is enough, Ratchet." Optimus said calmly, "The Omega Lock is lost, Megatron had tried to use the device to Cyber-form this planet, and the only solution was to destroy it."

Smokescreen looked at the Prime, he couldn't believe what Optimus was saying, "Is it really gone? What happened?" Smoke asked, "And where's Drift? Where's Knightwave and Tap-Out?"

Sighing, "Knightwave was taken by the Decepticons…" Taking a deep vent, "And the destruction of the Omega Lock wasn't without its sacrifices…" the Prime sighed, stepping aside revealing Drift to the young mech.

"No…" Smokescreen uttered, running over towards his lost friend, "No… nonono…" he cried, his visor scanning the large stab wound on Drift's chassis.

Arcee, who couldn't stand Smoke's distressed cries, ran over towards the young mech, followed by Bee who felt empathy for his friend. Ratchet just stood by and watched as his fellow Autobots comfort Smokescreen, who was feeling as much pain as he was.

"How… how did this happen?" Smokescreen sobbed, looking around the room for answers.

"He sacrificed himself to defend me from deactivation, by Megatron's hand…" Dreadwing spoke up, only to walk away from the scene, and gaze off into nowhere.

Cursing at himself, Ratchet clenched his fists so tight, they sounded like stressed metal on the brink of snapping, "With the Omega Lock gone… how will we ever succeed…" he muttered to himself, his optics burning with intense frustration.

Dreadwing who was feeling horrible about Drift's deactivation, started to feel the Nexus Blade, as if it were calling him. Taking the blade off his back, he noticed strange runes began to glow from the center of the Nexus. With a flash of light, the maroon seeker was taken to a vast white space, and standing right in front of him, was Solus Prime.

* * *

Shining her celestial light upon the Maroon seeker, "Dreadwing is the new name, Primus had chosen for you?" the femme asked, walking closer to the seeker, "However, you are still the same, as I remember."

Staying still, "When I first encountered you, that was the same thing you stated. Why must you insist I am who you say?" Dreadwing questioned.

Smiling, "Because, Primus is a mysterious entity… he took you from the Well of Allsparks, only for him to reforge you." Solus implied.

"Are you speaking about my spark?" Dreadwing asked.

Nodding, "Your spark is ancient, it belonged to someone special to me… however it has seemed to have found you again, just like I have." she chimed.

"I do not understand…" the seeker muttered.

"You are him, but yet you are not." the Prime remarked, "You've made new memories, however your spark is imprinted with the past."

Dreadwing's optics began to light up, "Are you saying that my spark… impossible…" he uttered.

"Nothing is impossible, Primus has a way of 'reforging' sparks, as a way to change the many outcomes of the future." she stated, "And your very existence, is based on one of many outcomes… regardless, he took you from our peaceful rest, and turned you into who you are now… a Legend Reborn."

Looking down at his servos, "The past has always found a way to creep into the present… now I have a reason to believe that Primus is responsible, for the current outcomes." Dreadwing implied.

"He had forsought this inevitable future, thus he created you and Knightwave as a way to mend the faults of our misfortunes." Solus informed.

Looking into Solus' optics, "Knightwave? He too has been reforged?" Dreadwing asked.

Nodding, "He has, and he is the key to saving all of Cybertron, to save all those who perished on its soil." she remarked, "His very spark has been reforged, and reformed to create the most powerful seed… the only life-giving relic that could not only transform Cybertron back to its original state, but save those who perished… the Emberstone."

Dreadwing's optics widened, "Knightwave is the Emberstone?!" he gasped.

"It is your duty to keep him safe, if anything were to happen to him, the path to bringing back our home is all but lost. He is the key to Cybertron's heart, even that of the Matrix and the Allspark won't be enough to revive those who perished." Solus explained.

"Then what of the Nexus?" the seeker questioned,

The Prime began to form the center of the Nexus Blade in her servos, displaying it's light, "The Nexus Blade is a compressed Omega Lock, it's power is that of restoration, and destruction. Whoever wields this blade, uses the power of their own spark to charge it's true abilities, and you are it's bearer." Solus informed, "Your very spark was created to wield this tool, not as a weapon, but as the decider of who shall live, and who shall die."

"Why was I chosen to bear such commitment…" Dreadwing uttered, bowing his horned helm.

"Because Cyclonus, you were made for this purpose, you were made to save others, you were made to judge." Solus smiled, "Now take this Nexus, and change the future."

* * *

Dreadwing immediately snapped out of the trance, still gripping the Nexus Blade, the maroon mech marched over towards the group of weeping Autobots. Not paying attention to their cries, he pushed through them, causing them to gasp as he lifted the sword, aiming its blade directly at Drift's spark.

Ratchet and Optimus noticed Dreadwing about to stab the deactivated Autobot, and tried to stop him from adding further damage to Drift's frame. However, before any of the Autobots could do anything to stop him, the maroon mech stabbed the Nexus Blade through Drift's chassis, and in a violent array of white light, the Nexus began to glow. Everyone in the room stood still, shielding their optics from the very bright light. Even the three kids huddled together, to shield their eyes from being burnt, by the light being emitted from the Nexus.

Then, in an instant the light suddenly ceased, "What's the matter with you!" Ratchet shouted, pushing Dreadwing aside.

Dropping the blade, the hulking seeker felt a wave of weakness befell him, it was as if his very spark was shuttering from the experience. Gripping his helm, his red optics met Optimus, whose expression held much concern.

"Dreadwing-" However, just before the Prime could say something, a moan came from the berth.

Drift slowly rose up from his deactivation, gripping his chest-plate, "W-what happened…" the white mech muttered, his optics a dimmed blue.

Smokescreen was the first to jump, immediately he ran over to his revived friend, prompting the white mech to yelp with shock, "Smokescreen, mind telling me what happened?" Drift asked.

Sobbing, "We thought you were deactivated." the young mech informed, hugging the revived mech, before letting go to collect himself.

"He… he was deactivated…" Ratchet approached, "His vital signs were negative…" his voice was shaken.

Drift looked over at the old doctor, is optics dimming in and out, "Then how am I active? I… I remember saying my goodbyes… I remember saying goodbye to you…" he uttered, recalling his final moments.

Ratchet's faceplate held that of much sorrow, and for the first time, the other Autobots truly saw the old mech's true feelings, "I'm sorry… I'm so sorry for blaming you… it wasn't your fault… it never was… I was just so infuriated at you, for pursuing our enemies… so infuriated that you left me…" Ratchet muttered, his servos in tight fists.

"We can't change the past… but we can make a future." Drift replied, his optics staring straight into Ratchet's.

Dreadwing walked up to Drift, "Indeed we can." he spoke up, picking up the Nexus, "I had a vision, Solus Prime spoke to me, she told me that Knightwave is that of the Emberstone, and that he is the key to Cybertron's revival." he announced.

"What?!" The Autobots gasped.

"Bweeezoooo…" Bumblebee buzzed nervously, inclining the maroon mech to raise an optic ridge.

Rubbing the back of her helm, "Yeah, about that…" Arcee said nervously, "When we activated Vector Sigma, we encountered a program that had Rigor Mortis' memories, and she informed us about Knightwave being the Emberstone… and she gave us this…" she smiled nervously, handing Dreadwing the vial of Synthetic Energon.

"This is the last piece of the research…" Dreadwing remarked, "Thank you… but if you were already told this information, then why did Knightwave allow himself to be captured?" he questioned, as he tried to figure out the reason.

Optimus stepped forward, "Before we departed, I witnessed Knightwave being taken, however, before I could inform you I was sent a message from Tap-Out." the Prime informed, "The message stated that they had some ' _unfinished business to take care of_ '."

Crossing his arms, "Pish Posh, if Knightwave was aware of him being the literal 'Emberstone', then why would he risk everything, to resolve ' _unfinished business_ '?" Ratchet scoffed.

Shaking his helm, "I am not one to question Knightwave's motives, nonetheless, he recommended us to separate, that includes the research data." Optimus implied.

"What, separate?!" Ratchet exclaimed, "We can't just abandon the base!"

Looking at Ratchet, with a glowing visor, "Ratchet, I think we should." Smokescreen remarked, still shaken by Drift's death and sudden revival, "You've seen what's going on outside-"

"-Wait, what's going on outside?" Arcee interrupted.

Hitting his fore-helm, "Scrap, Ratchet we haven't told them yet!" the young mech cursed, running over towards the base controls.

"What is it, that you haven't informed us about?" Dreadwing questioned, walking up the monitors, followed by Optimus, and the others.

"When you were gone, this happened!" Smoke began, "It just grew out of the ground!"

The young mech then displayed a LIVE feed of a huge structure, that looked exactly like Megatron's fortress… Darkmount. Just looking at the massive structure, was enough to cause all who were there to shutter. Even the children, who were too confused to keep track of all that was happening, knew that was a bad sign.

"O-Optimus?" Jack called, his voice very shaken, "Not to be nosy and all… but we have no idea what's going on… and to be completely honest… I'm scared…"

"What's going to happen to our home?" Miko questioned.

"A-and our families?" Rafael asked, his voice low.

With a deep vent, "I do not know… Megatron has managed to accomplish the first phase of his cyber-forming of Earth, the construction of his fortress…" The Prime announced.

"Then this merits a greater reason for us to separate, does it not?" Dreadwing remarked, "Even though Megatron doesn't know the exact location of this base, he will not stop until he destroys this location."

"But what about Wheeljack? We can't just leave without him." Smokescreen implied, "I saw his ship being attacked by Insecticons, and afterwards he vanished."

"I have faith that Wheeljack will find his way to return, for he would agree with us separating to preserve the Research." Optimus remarked, his optics glaring at the monitor screen.

Walking up the Prime, "I advise we call Colonel Lennox about our plan to separate, he might be able to help us." Arcee mused.

Nodding, "Ratchet, activate the NEST emergency com-link." Optimus addressed.

The com-link systems began to hum, as the screens changed to the NEST logo, "Colonel Lennox" Optimus called, only to get no answer.

Shrugging her shoulders, "Maybe he's too busy dealing with the 'Cons." Arcee remarked.

Just then, the monitor screen picked up a video feed, however instead of Lennox, it was a man, who appeared to be in his late 20s, early 30s. The man was wearing an informal suit, similar to how Agent Fowler wore his attire. Brushing back his messy hair, the man nervously reached for the microphone, but only after a minute of talking, he noticed that he hadn't turn the mic on.

Clearing his throat, "Sorry about that…" he nervously chuckled, "Wow okay, so Hi! My name is Agent Sam Witwicky, and I am Agent William Fowler's replacement… Uh how can I help you?" he spoke nervously.

Looking up at Arcee, "Psst, where is Fowler at anyways?" Miko whispered, "Because this guy… eh…" she cringed.

Standing firmly, "Agent Witwicky." Optimus began, "As you already know, the Decepticons have already taken control over Jasper, and we are calling you to help us scatter to safe locations, in order to keep valuable data safe." the Prime remarked.

Scratching his nose, "Lennox told me you might say that… and here's the deal." Sam began, "As I see it, it's best to break you up the teams of two. I was already debriefed about you guys having three children with you, so we already have four bases ready for you guys."

"What about my mom?" Jack asked walking up to the smaller screen.

"Yeah and my family?" Raf questioned.

With a yawn, "Jasper has been fully evacuated, and as for your families, they have been relocated to the bases you'll be designated to." Sam informed.

"Wait, you said that there were four bases, and if you break us up in twos, there is still one group that won't have a base to hide." Arcee pointed out.

Nodding, "That's because two of you will have to stay behind." the agent replied.

"Dreadwing and I will remain here." Optimus announced, "Agent Witwicky, would you please send the coordinates to the bases please."

"Alright." Sam nodded, typing in a few commands, allowing the group of Autobots to see the coordinates, "Alright first up is Rafael Esquivel." he said as Ratchet opened the ground Bridge, "You and your Guardian will report to our base in Brighton Fall, California. There you will meet up with Captain Watson, and she'll take you to your family."

Ratchet then handed Bumblebee a data card, which held a few fragments of the research data, "Keep this safe, Bumblebee, the fate of Cybertron depends on this." he remarked, glaring into the young scout's blue optics.

With a low Buzz the young scout sub-spaced the data, and took his position next to the ground bridge portal. After a big hug from Jack and Miko, Raf ran down the stairs, and up to Bee who was transformed. After a short moment, the yellow scout honked his horn, and drove through the portal. As soon as Bee and Raf left, Ratchet imputed the next set of coordinates.

"Okay, next is Jackson Darby and his Guardian." Agent Witwicky announced, "You guys will report to our Nevada base, it's very well hidden and your mother his tending to the wounded… funny thing, I'll be debriefing you guys…" Sam chuckled nervously, obviously thinking they should've been last on the list.

Following suit, Ratchet handed Arcee a fragment of the data, and Jack said his goodbyes, not long after he and Arcee drove through the portal. As soon as they departed, Ratchet punched in the next set of coordinates, to what seemed to be a strange location to be bridge to, it appeared to be a well secure area in Northern Japan.

Loosening his tie, ""Miko Nakadai, you and your guardian will report to NEST Japan, there you will meet up with Doctor Fujiyama, he'll escort you to your family, and debrief your Guardian."

Miko's pom-pom tails perked up when she recognized the Doctor's name, but that was when she came to realize that she had no guardian. Looking quite sad, the young teen took a ragged breath.

"Actually I don't have a guardian… well not anymore." Miko said sadly.

With a sigh, "I'm sorry about that-" Sam was about to say something when he was interrupted.

"Actually Miko, you still do." The strange helicopter Eradicon walked up.

"Who are you exactly?" Miko asked, "I just thought you were friends with that big grumpy purple guy." Miko pointed a thumb at Dreadwing, who just gave a 'what did you call me' look at the human.

With a chuckle, "It's me Miko… Smokescreen!" the young mech informed.

"Whaaaa!" the young girl shouted, "B-B Whaa! Did that no face guy do this to you?"

Waving a servo, "Knightwave? Uh yeah… he kinda saved me… but he does have a face." Smoke remarked.

Crossing her arms, "Well you've got a lot of explaining to do!" Miko pouted.

Internally grinning, "I do, don't I…" Smokescreen muttered, "Well if you stop moping around, I might tell you." the young mech snickered transforming into a sleek ground vehicle alt mode, that had hexagonal shapes all over the body of the car.

Perking up, "No way! You can be a helicopter and a car!?" Miko shouted, running down the stairs.

Opening his car door, "Anymore questions you wanna ask?" Smoke chimed, as Miko slid in.

"Drive and I'll start spilling." Miko smirked.

Optimus and Dreadwing watched, as they departed, now all that was left was Ratchet and Drift. However the white mech was still lying down on the berth, his body still rattled from his sudden revival.

With a long yawn, "Okay here's the last set of coordinates." Sam announced, "So uh… since you guys aren't going anywhere…" he pointed at Optimus and Dreadwing, "That leaves those guys… well you two will be headed to our HQ, located at the Hoover Dam! Colonel Lennox is currently there, along with my superior Agent Jack Burns… watch out for him, he's kinda iffy about you guys… well I gotta go!."

Getting up from the berth, "What does 'iffy' mean?" Drift asked, slowly walking over towards Ratchet.

Leaning down close the white mech, "Sometimes the natives of this planet, say things that we cannot fully comprehend, it is best for us to keep our composure and nod." Optimus advised, quickly going back to a formal stance.

Taking the Prime's advise, Drift nodded his helm, and walked over towards the ground bridge, where Ratchet was standing. The old Doctor's expression was clear, he was still very confused, and he was obviously frightened. Approaching Ratchet, Drift couldn't help but feel the same way, for he did remember his passing, and he did remember seeing his final destination… the Allspark. Regardless, the white mech didn't want to cause anymore trouble, nor did he want to alarm Optimus about his experience.

Ratchet turned towards Optimus, "I never imagined any of this was possible." he uttered, then he looked towards Drift, "And never in my wildest dreams, would I have pictured us being together again…" the old doctor smiled.

"Neither did I, old friend." Optimus implied, "I believe that you two should be going, for I do not know how long we have before Megatron discovers our location."

Bowing his helm, "I am in internal dept to you, for saving my life." Drift thanked Dreadwing.

Tilting his horned helm, "It is my sworn commitment to save those who deserve the right to live." the maroon seeker remarked.

Then Drift and Ratchet, both walked through the portal, both looking over their shoulders, hoping that this wouldn't be the last they see of Optimus Prime, and Dreadwing. Once the portal closed, Optimus gazed over towards Dreadwing, his optics a stern blue.

"Dreadwing." the Prime spoke, "Follow me." he implied, walking off towards the destroyed hallway.

* * *

 _ **{Darkmount}**_

Megatron relished in the construction of his fortress, his deep menacing smile said it all. The warlord may have lost his chance to revive Cybertron that day, and Cyber-form Earth, but this fortress was an instant staple of his luck changing. Nonetheless, he also knew that this was the beginning of his new reign, a new era for the Decepticons, and he had the tools to not only recreate the Omega Lock, but also to uncover the secrets behind the Emberstone.

Walking through the long halls of his new fortress, the warlord entered the newly established Medbay, with Knock-Out already settling in, not even hours after the destruction of the Omega Lock. Grinning at the Red Doctor, Megatron looked over towards the center berth, where Knightwave was restrained.

"Wake him." Megatron ordered, glaring at the unconscious seeker.

"As you wish, my liege." Knock-Out acknowledged, typing controls on a data pad.

Slowly Knightwave entered consciousness, his frame rattled from the sudden jolt of the forced activation, as his visor began to flash with vital information. Opening his optics, the purple seeker began to hear the frantic yells from Tap-Out, who was trying to snap him out of his groggy state.

"Tap-Out…" Knightwave uttered to himself, "Remind me to punch your brother…"

 _{Uh yeah that's my job, and by the way we're here…}_

Knightwave's optics suddenly opened, looking around the room, they immediately landed on Megatron's sinister faceplate, "Megatron…" Knightwave sneered, noticing his frame being restrained.

Grinning, "I'm glad that you were able to pull through Soundwave's shock, nonetheless I have a proposition for you, if you desire to live." Megatron remarked.

 _{Son of a bot Fragger.}_ Tap-Out growled.

"A deal? You want to make a deal with me?" Knightwave questioned, with a slight growl to his voice.

Smiling, "In exchange for your life, and the lives of the Autobots, I want to commission your expertise to build my very own personal Omega Lock." the warlord implied.

 _{Wow your brother wasn't kidding… glad I was able to read his message before he put us into power down.}_

Scowling behind his visor, "And how will know that you'll keep your end of the bargain?" Knightwave asked.

Chuckling, "You won't, either way I will get you to build me that Omega Lock." Megatron grinned.

"And if I refuse?"

"Then Wheeljack will be the second to die by my hand." the warlord implied, as the Wrecker his brought in, being held captive by a group of Insecticons.

"Forget about me kid!" Wheeljack struggled, "Whatever bucket-head wants, don't give it to him!"

 _{Knightwave…}_

Growling, "Fine, you want to play this game, then we have a deal." Knightwave sneered, "I'll make you an Omega Lock, as long as no harm is done to the Autobots."

"Glad that we came to an agreement… however the moment you dare betray me, Wheeljack will be one of many ornaments I'll add to the front of the Nemesis." Megatron snarled, his red optics piercing into the seeker's core.

 _{I have to give credit to Soundwave, if he's right about this, not only will we be able to separate, but we could revive Breakdown, and rebuild Smokescreen's original frame.}_ Tap-Out implied, rereading the secret message Soundwave sent them.

"But I hate how we have to constantly play a game of roulette…" Knightwave muttered to himself.

"Knock-Out!" Megatron yelled.

Rushing over, "Yes Lord Megatron!" the red doctor addressed.

"See to it that Knightwave is released from his restraints." the warlord demanded.

Bowing, "Of course my Master, right away." the red doctor remarked, disabling the seeker's bonds.

"And as for you." Megatron looked over at the Insecticons, "See to it that Wheeljack is taken to the smelting pit."

Immediately getting up from the berth, "We had a deal Megatron, we agreed that no harm will befell the Autobots!" Knightwave shouted.

Cackling, "We did agree to that, didn't we?" the warlord chimed, "Lock him up, and if he tries to escape, you know what to do." Megatron ordered the Insecticons, and turned to face the angered seeker.

"And as for you… I expect to see progress of the construction of my Omega Lock, I'll give one Earth week to create schematics, and if you're even a nano-second late, consider Wheeljack a molten heap of your failure." Megatron sneered, before marching out of the Medbay, with the group of Insecticons who forcefully dragged the wrecker with them.

* * *

 _End of Chapter notes:_

Sorry that it took a while to post this, my only excuse is that I finally got something in the mail, and it was the 3A Deluxe class Bumblebee figure... huehuehuehuehuehheuhehuehuehuehueheuheuheuhee I'm such a suck-ah for good shit!

Never mind that, I hope y'all enjoyed this chapter, and I'm currently typing up the next! I mean I'm gonna finish this story one way or another, and guess what, I'm planning on making a sequel! Yup I already have this amazing idea in mind, if you guys want me to type it up!

Other than that, **Thank you guys very much for reading** this, I mean I know that the idea behind this story is kinda out there, but that's again for your support!


	28. TFP: Sparkless Ch28: It has Begun

**Disclaimer** **:** _I do not own any of the Transformers characters in the TFP series, nor do I claim ownership of any_ _kind towards anything trademarked. This story is just for fun, and isn't connected towards the true lore behind the franchise. The only things I own are the OCs._

* * *

 **Chapter 28: It has begun**

 ** _{Previously}_**

" _Knock-Out!" Megatron yelled._

 _Rushing over, "Yes Lord Megatron!" the red doctor addressed._

" _See to it that Knightwave is released from his restraints." the warlord demanded._

 _Bowing, "Of course my Master, right away." the red doctor remarked, disabling the seeker's bonds._

" _And as for you." Megatron looked over at the Insecticons, "See to it that Wheeljack is taken to the smelting pit."_

 _Immediately getting up from the berth, "We had a deal Megatron, we agreed that no harm will befell the Autobots!" Knightwave shouted._

 _Cackling, "We did agree to that, didn't we?" the warlord chimed, "Lock him up, and if he tries to escape, you know what to do." Megatron ordered the Insecticons, and turned to face the angered seeker._

" _And as for you… I expect to see progress of the construction of my Omega Lock, I'll give one Earth week to create schematics, and if you're even a nano-second late, consider Wheeljack a molten heap of your failure." Megatron sneered, before marching out of the Medbay, with the group of Insecticons who forcefully dragged the wrecker with them._

* * *

Once the Warlord had departed from the Medbay, Knightwave stood motionless, his mind racing with rage, and regret. He knew what Megatron meant when he said Wheeljack was the second to die by his hand, and furthermore he wasn't expecting to return to the Decepticons. Nonetheless, he had unfinished business, and he made it his prerogative to keep his end of the deals he makes, even if the odds are against him. Regardless, he knew if he doesn't do what Megatron demanded of him, then he'd not only fail to save Cybertron, but he'd fail to protect those he came to care for.

Tap-Out watched as Knightwave's mind buzzed with mixed emotions, she felt his fear, his rage… his regrets. However, her mind was racing with what they were told by Rigor Mortis, and even now she was still processing the information.

 _{Knightwave… if your Spark is the Emberstone, do you think it was a mistake for us leaving the Autobots?}_

"You already know the answer to that question… there are no mistakes…" Knightwave uttered.

 _{Then why are we here? If Megatron finds out-}_

"He won't find out, he's just a means for us to finish what we started. Besides, now that we know we're the Emberstone, it just made our job easier to accomplish." the seeker remarked.

 _{So where do we begin?}_

"First we revive Breakdown, while we create the schematics for the Omega Lock. Then we separate our sparks, I don't want you to carry my burden…" Knightwave sighed.

 _{It's not a burden, its an honor, and besides, I'm really gonna miss sharing a frame with you.}_

Raising an optic ridge, "I thought you had a keen eye for Dreadwing?" Knightwave implied.

Internally blushing, _{Shut up, I just like not having to walk around all the time!}_ Tap-Out exclaimed.

Snickering, "Yeah… I've actually grown accustomed to hearing your commentary… after we separate, it's gonna real hard to think for myself." Knightwave stated, his faceplate glowing with embarrassment.

Scoffing, { _Well it's not everyday when you meet someone who actually has two minds instead of one.}_

"True… however we still have someone that needs to be dealt with." the purple seeker muttered, looking over towards Knock-Out who still silently by, as if he knew they were talking.

 _{Allow me.}_ Tap-Out rang.

"By all means, he's your brother."

* * *

 _ **{Meanwhile- NEST}**_

The NEST communication grind was going on Def-con Red, as they tried to remedy the issue of the Decepticon takeover of Jasper, Nevada. The Pentagon wasn't happy with Colonel Lennox's decision to work with the Autobots, and even taking measures to separate them. It has been 12 hour since the evacuation of Jasper, and there has been no progress in determining if it was safe to even scout the area.

Angrily slamming his fist against his desk, Lennox scowled as her listened to Ratchet's speech about the current events, "So let me get this straight, Megatron tried to use this Omega Lock thing to kill all life on Earth, by using it as a weapon, while it was created to revive your home?" he questioned.

Nodding, "The Omega was originally made to rebuild our home, but he had plans to rule over yours." Ratchet implied.

Nudging the Colonel, "I told you they shouldn't be trusted." Agent Burns sneered, his piercing blue eyes glaring at the two Autobots.

Growling, "Look Ratchet, the Pentagon isn't happy, not at all. Is there any possibility that we can take down this Darkmount?" Lennox asked.

Shaking his helm, "Megatron's fortress is heavily armed, and there is no way to determine any safe point of infiltration. However, if we are able to set up a communication relay with one of our allies, then we might be able to lower it's defenses." Ratchet assured.

"Who's our inside man?" Lennox sighed.

* * *

 _ **{Darkmount}**_

Knock-Out gripped his helm, as he struggled to stand, "Ouch! My finish!" he exclaimed, feeling the sting of Tap-Out punch.

"You knew that we could've faked our own power down!" the red femme sneered, glaring at her nagging brother.

"I-it wasn't my idea! And besides how dumb do you Megatron really is?" Knock-Out fired back.

Rolling her optics, "Well Knightwave and I are still alive." she spat, crossing her arms.

"Wow, you're right." Knock-Out shrugged.

 _{You should tell him now, so we could get to work.}_ Knightwave spoke, his voice vibrating through the red femme's mind.

Struggling to speak, "Knock…" Tap-Out uttered, getting her brother's full attention, "We...we found a way to bring back Breakdown."

The red doctor stood deadly still, his optics however were shaking, "What… you can bring him back…" Knock-Out muttered, slowly sinking down until he was sitting on the metal ground.

Kneeling down next to her brother, "That's not all we found out… Knightwave's spark-"

"He's the Emberstone, isn't he?"

"How'd you figure that out?"

Chuckling, "I'm a doctor remember… when I opened your spark chamber, I noticed how different it looked compared to normal chambers… then I gave it a simple bypass, now I truly see why it looked the way it did." Knock-Out admitted.

Transforming before the red mech, "Then you can see why I've decided to return. If Megatron finds out, then he'd no doubt try to harness my spark, but if we work together we can prevent him taking control of our home." Knightwave claimed.

Looking up at the seeker's visor, "But what about the Omega Lock, what if he uses it to destroy this planet?" Knock-Out asked.

"Simple, we won't let that happen." Knightwave remarked, "If my brother is truly on our side, then it's safe to assume that he too will do whatever it takes to keep Megatron from achieving his goals."

Nodding, "I see, deceive the 'Con… So when do we get started?"

"Now, that is if you're willing to do a few tests before we even attempt to use the power of the Emberstone." Knightwave said nervously.

Raising and optic ridge, "Hang on, you don't know how to use your own spark?" Knock-Out asked.

 _{Gives us a break Knock, we've just learned about our spark being the Emberstone not even a few cycles ago.}_ Tap-Out transmitted.

Shocked to hear his sister's voice, "Okay, when did you learn how to do that?"

Rolling his optics, "Before we play 50 questions, lets just get to bring back you Conjunx, and Tap-Out you're better at creating detailed schematics, so while I aid your brother in reviving his you find a way to recreate the Omega Lock." Knightwave implied.

{You got it.} Tap-Out sighed.

Looking back at the red mech, "Alright, let's get to work."

Rubbing the back of helm, "Yeah about that, we're not exactly on the Nemesis…" Knock-Out remarked.

* * *

 _ **{Darkmount Control Center}**_

Megatron paced across the new Control Center, his optics fixed on a monitor with Soundwave's blank visor displayed on the screen.

"Tell me again, why we should relocate Knightwave back to the Nemesis, he is very well looked after here, and will be able to achieve more progress with the schematics." Megatron implied, however his was once again denied by his Communications Chief.

"I see, you are correct, the Nemesis's Medbay is far more advanced compared to Darkmount's… very well you may bridge him to the Nemesis, and while you're at it, please inform Knock-Out that he is required to go back to Cybertron to survey the remains of the Omega Lock, we need to survey the area, for anything that could help us ensure Knightwave's schematics match that of the Omega Lock." Megatron ordered, gaining a simple nod from the silent seeker.

* * *

 _ **{NEST- Japan Base}**_

Smokescreen sat on a pile of storage containers, that was neatly placed in front of a collective of TV screens. That formed an image of Ratchet, who informed the young mech about their current situation.

With a sigh, "This doesn't sound good… Ratch not to be negative, but who knows what happened to Knightwave, and even if we were able to get into contact with him, he wouldn't be able to help us." the young mech addressed.

"I know that our chances are slim, but we have to at least try." Ratchet remarked, "Darkmount currently possess a huge threat against Humanity, and if we don't do something to take it down, then more and more lives will be lost."

"What about Dreadwing? Can't he just Falcon Kick the front door, and blow the place sky high?" Smoke argued, waving his servos in the air, simulating an explosion.

Shaking his helm, "I wish it were that easy, but we are still unsure if Knightwave has been taken there, the same goes for Wheeljack." the old mech implied.

"Right…" Smoke sigh, rubbing the back of his helm, "Then what's your plan?"

"Aren't you capable of changing your frame shape?" Ratchet asked.

"Uh yeah, but wouldn't you think I'd be instantly caught? Old Megs did see me with Knightwave after all."

Laughing, "Megatron can't even keep a close optic on his entrusted pawns, I highly doubt he'll recognize you among all the other Eradicons." Ratchet declared.

Nervously laughing, the Young mech stood up, "Well I can't argue with that logic… I'm going to need a ground bridge-"

"-About that…" Ratchet muttered, "We haven't been able to establish contact with Omega 1… I believe that due to its close proximity to the Decepticon fortress, the communication grind was shut down, to prevent detection."

"WHAT?" Smokescreen exclaimed, "Then how am I supposed to bust into Megabum's crib, and take down its defenses?"

Crossing his arms, "You've got the ability to not only drive, but fly as well." Ratchet pointed out.

"Oh...right…" the young mech said nervously, turning his helm to gaze at the rotor blades, that hung from his back.

Face palming, "Primus… I'm beginning to question how you even made it through Elite Guard training…" Ratchet mumbled.

"He made it through, for he is more than what meets the eye." Drift's voice came from behind the old mech, "And I was there to witness his growth."

"Yap Yap!" Ratchet exclaimed, "Your frame is still heavily damaged, you shouldn't be walking, or moving in your state!"

Waving off his partner, "I'm fine, regardless I have faith that Smokescreen is more than capable of handling himself, despite his tendency to overlook a few key elements." Drift implied.

Looking quite shocked, despite having no facial features, "Wow… Do you really mean that?" Smoke gasped.

Nodding, "Even though we didn't get along at first, I admired your courage, and after seeing firsthand your will to escape our unexpected prison, I came to appreciate your outgoing personality… and as I see it, this mission will not only be a test of your courage, but it will also test you on what you've learned." Drift stated.

"I see… I won't let you guys down, I promise." Smoke affirmed.

* * *

The young mech, after having a talk with Colonel Lennox about his mission, walked out from the com-room, however before he could exit the compound, he heard a familiar voice calling from behind. Running up was Miko, who was dressed in punked out attire, with blue pom-pom hair, instead of her normal hot pink.

"Where are you going?" the teen asked, gazing up into Smoke's red visor.

Kneeling down, "I was given a very important mission, and I have to go…" Smokescreen sighed.

"Go? Go where?" Miko questioned, sadness in her eyes, "But… But we were supposed to have a talk…"

"I'm sorry, but this mission is very important, and I'm the only one who can do it… I hope you understand-"

"-NO! I don't understand!" Miko exclaimed, "I just got you back, and now you're leaving!"

Waving his arms back and forth, "It's not like that Miko, I've just got stuff to do, important stuff!"

"Well important stuff can wait, because you still haven't told me what happened to Starscream!" the young girl shouted.

"Miko…" the young mech uttered.

"Don't 'Miko' me!" she yelled, "You know what I've been through, first I lost Bulkhead… then I thought I lost you…" they young girl fell to her knees, "I thought I lost you, and… and… I really wanted to snuff his spark… at least tell me, you did it…"

Smoke's visor began to rapidly blink, if he could cry he would, "Somethings are better left unsaid… but if it gives you closure, than… yes… I did…"

Looking up at the young mech, with a glazed look in her eyes, "Good…" she muttered, before standing up, "Don't die, or I'll do it myself next time." she seethed, before running away.

Understanding what she meant, Smokescreen couldn't help but feel as if it were a mistake telling her the truth, because sometimes it's better to say lies, then expose a harsh truth. Shaken by Miko's change in demeanor, the young mech exited the base, and transformed into his Cybertronian helicopter form.

Taking to the skies, Smoke tried his best to focus on the mission, but is mind was fogged. He was lost in thought about what Miko had told him, nonetheless he had a mission to, _{But Miko is just as important.}_ he thought.

Continuing with his flight, the young mech would turn around constantly, only for his conscience to tell him to go with the mission, _{I have to go back and talk to her!}_ , he repeated, as he reached the United States.

Cursing at himself, Smokescreen flew faster and faster, with every thought, trying his best to ignore his begging conscience to return to his friend. However, as he got closer to his destination, the young mech never noticed that we was being followed, until it was too late. In a barrage of plasma bolts, a massive ship came out from the clouds, firing round after round, trying to neutralize the unknown helicopter.

Immediately snapping out of his thoughts, Smokescreen took evasive maneuvers, trying his best to dodge the incoming fire. However, his current alt-mode made it difficult for him to evade the onslaught, of heavy fire. With quick thinking, Smokescreen took a nosedive, aiming his sights at a long stretch of road, that carved it's way through the Nevada desert.

 _{Scrap, this guy is still on my tail!}_ Smoke exclaimed, noticing that despite his high speed descent, his attacker was still right behind him.

Taking a risk, the young mech picked up the pace, the ground getting closer with every second that passed. Then in a quick transformation, Smoke changed over to his land vehicle alt-mode, his tires picking up dust as he touched the ground, and sped off. Realizing that even in this mode, he was considerably too slow, the young mech tried his best to find an alternate route, only for his attacker to fire a barrage of hellfire missiles on the road in front of him.

Skidding to a halt, the young mech was mere inches of rolling down the freshly made crater, "Well frag me..." Smoke spat, noticing that the massive ship landed right in front of him.

Bracing for another attack, the young mech noticed the hydraulic lift to the ship lower. If Smoke had optics, they'd definitely be shaking, because emerging from the ship a familiar mech, with shoulder pads so large, they looked like pillars.

Aiming his arm cannon at the young mech, "Freeze, Decepticon!" the mech shouted, his neon blue optics blaring.

Transforming, with his arms in the air, "Ultra Magnus?" Smokescreen questioned.

Approaching the unknown mech, "How does an Eradicon like you, know who I am, and furthermore how can you be a triple changer?" Ultra Magnus demanded, aiming his cannon at Smoke's faceplate.

Nervous to reply, the young mech didn't want Ultra Magnus to be confused about his recreation, or being nearly scrapped by Starscream. Furthermore, he doesn't want the Commander to think he was working with the Decepticons, he had to think of something.

"Talk, Decepticon, or would you like me to return you to Megatron as a pile of scrap metal?!" Magnus threatened.

Taking a deep vent, "My name is… Blackout, and I am no Decepticon." Smokescreen remarked.

Raising an optic ridge, "Blackout? I deactivated a Con by that name, you're going to have to try harder than that, to convince me that you're not the enemy." Magnus sneered.

{Scrap…} Smoke thought, "Nothing ever gets past you Commander, and I have to admit, I thought I was being as sly as always, guess I lost my touch."

Lowing his blaster, "Smokescreen?" the stoic mech questioned.

"Nice to see you again, sir." the young mech replied.

Changing his blaster back into a servo, "What happened to you? Why are you an Eradicon?" the Commander asked.

Standing in attention, "I wasn't planning on disclosing my current state, sir." Smoke implied.

"At ease soldier, there is no need for you to address me at the moment, but I would like to know what's going on, that includes your current appearance." Magnus addressed.

Relaxing, "Well sir, that's a long story…"

"Then I am all audios."

* * *

 _ **{Meanwhile- The Nemesis- Medbay}**_

"Knightwave." Knock-Out called from the back storage, "What are your thoughts about your brother joining our plan to deceive Megatron?"

Looking down at Breakdown's dusty frame, "I can't say… after everything that's been going on, learning of his defection, hasn't affected me…" the seeker sighed.

Walking out of the back room, with the Spark Shocker device, "Hm, I was expecting you to be more… well more angry, or well just plain old fumed." the red mech shrugged.

Closing his optics, "Well I guess I'm more concerned about reviving your Conjunx… and I apologize for not being able to accomplish this sooner." Knightwave agonized.

Placing down the device, "In all honesty, I don't blame you… I actually blame myself for not seeing that you were trying your best… I'm the one who should be apologizing." Knock-Out uttered, placing a servo over his spark.

"We can all be Sparkless, even in our most vulnerable state… however even the darkest sparks, and still glow." Knightwave justified.

"My sister always has a way of rubbing off on others… that being said… I wonder what you'll look like in red." Knock-Out joked.

Snickering, "Red isn't my color, I'm more of a burgundy type of seeker." Knightwave remarked, with a smirk.

"Do tell, I'd really like to see that." the red mech chimed, his optics fluttering at Knightwave's galaxy purple finish, "However, your current finish has a unique flare-"

 _{Knock, weren't you given orders to go back to Cybertron?}_ Tap-Out transmitted, her voice holding annoyance.

"Oh boo, am I distracting you dearest sister?" Knock-Out jeered.

 _{Knock please, if Megatron finds out that you haven't heeded his orders-}_

"Yeah yeah, I know… Primus you get so naggy when your working." the red mech teased, walking out of the Medbay.

As soon as the red mech was out of sight, "You know, at least he's admitting to his faults." Knightwave pointed out.

 _{Don't get me started Knightwave…}_ Tap-Out sighed, {This is actually the first time he's actually admitted to being at fault… regardless, my main focus is figuring out how to reconstruct the Omega Lock.}

Picking up the spark shocker, "We have all that we need right here." the seeker remarked.

 _{That thing? I thought it was designed to… well you know 'shock' a spark back to life.}_ the red femme mused.

Taking a deep vent, "That was its primary purpose, but after much consideration, I've broken down it's schematics and found out it has similar properties to that of the Omega Lock. If we reconstruct this device, and enhance certain properties, then we can potentially be able to create another Omega Lock." Knightwave addressed.

 _{I was wondering why our processor was scanning multiple data files, but if you were in possession of your very own Omega Lock, how do you suppose Rigor Mortis created it, this was her creation right?}_

Shaking his helm, "Even though Mortis and I got to know each other very well, she kept many secrets from me… and until now I wasn't able to figure out why she did so." Knightwave sighed, "I guess she didn't want to concern me with the harsh truth… even Alpha Trion seemed to hide important details…"

 _{Look, family has a way of keeping secrets from us, and they do it not only to protect us, but as a way to show us that they care… as I see it, they really cared for you, and now we have to prove that we care back.}_ Tap-Out assured.

Snickering, "You really should try to become a senator, when Cybertron is revived." the seeker commented.

 _{Nice try, but I'm not the Senator type, I'm more of 'State the Obvious and tell no lies'.}_

"True, you'd be a terrible politician." Knightwave joked.

 _{Now that aside, let's get to work, we don't want Buckethead to think we're plotting against him.}_ Tap-Out remarked.

Raising an optic ridge, "Aren't we doing that right now?" the seeker chimed.

 _{Shut up, and let's get to work.}_ the femme chuckled, going back to her work.

* * *

 _ **{Nevada-Middle of nowhere}**_

Ultra Magnus leaned against the haul of his ship, his arms folded across his chest plate, as he stood there contemplating. It looked like he was having a difficult time processing what he just heard from one of his promising cadets, furthermore he couldn't believe the information about this Knightwave and Tap-out. Scowling at his inability to comprehend, that Dreadwing has switched sides, the same goes for Soundwave and Knock-Out, baffled the stoic commander.

Averting his gaze at the ground, and towards the young mech, "Soldier, I understand that you have a mission." Magnus implied.

Nodding, "Yes sir, it's an infiltration mission." Smokescreen informed.

Nodding back, "They you have my permission to depart, I will head to the coordinates you provided, and meet up with Ratchet and Drift." the commander affirmed.

"Understood Commander, and remember to relay the dispatch signal before entering the airspace." Smoke advised.

"And this data?" Magus questioned, waving a data card.

"Give it to Ratchet, he wouldn't want me taking it to Darkmount." the young mech stated.

Taking a formal stance, "Then you may take your leave, and good luck soldier." Ultra Magnus acknowledged.

Transforming in his helicopter alt-mode, "The same for you Commander." Smoke remarked, before taking off towards Jasper.

Once the young mech disappeared from beyond the clouds, the stoic commander sub-spaced the data, and returned to his ship. Inside the cockpit, Ultra Magnus imputed the coordinates Smokescreen has given him, and took off towards the Hoover Dam.

* * *

The NEST control room was filled with the sounds of computers buzzing, as the main monitor has pinged an unknown aircraft heading towards the hidden base. Ratchet and Drift watched as the humans scurried around the room, rushing back and forth of affirm that the unknown bogey wasn't a threat.

"Ratchet." Colonel Lennox called, "Would you mind explaining to me why an unknown bogey is broadcasting a tone, similar to that of the secret signal we entrusted to your team only?" he asked.

"It might be Wheeljack, but that ship isn't his…" the old doctor remarked.

Getting up from his makeshift berth, "I recognize that ship…" Drift implied, "It belongs to my Commander… Ultra Magnus."

Baffled, "Ultra Magnus, here?" Ratchet questioned.

Looking up at the two Autobots, "So he's with you then?" Lennox asked, getting a nod from the pair, "Burns, rally an escort crew, and bring Ultra Magnus here." the Colonel ordered, marching up a flight of stairs, "And as for you two, head up to the hanger bay, we don't want this Magnus guy stepping on anyone, do you hear?"

"Understood Colonel." Ratchet affirmed, walking out of the control room, with Drift by his side.

* * *

 _ **{Darkmount}**_

The prison holds of the Decepticon fortress, was more like a pit of despair. The lights were dim, the floors were scarred, and the atmosphere was hollow. In a far isolation chamber was Wheeljack, his frame was covered his dents, and energon cakes his once lustrous white finish. The only sound that he heard, was his ragged breathing, which lead him to believe that he'd suffered more damage from the crash, then what the 'Cons did to him. Regardless, he was hanging from chains, for what felt like an eternity, even though he knew it hadn't even been 48 earth hours yet.

The wrecker was snapped out of his daze, when he heard the familiar sound of Eradicon pedes, slamming against the cold metal floor. Wheeljack suddenly felt the urge to snap the poor fool's neck, but the chains we was bonded to prevented any movement. Slowly the armored door to his cell opened, revealing a glowing red visor, glaring down at the defenseless mech.

"Let me guess." Wheeljack spoke, his voice horse, "Old Buckethead decided to scrap me, despite making a deal with Knightwave? Typical Decepticon trash." he spat.

"Now is that a good way to treat your savior?" the Eradicon chimed, causing Jackie to gasp.

"Smoke!?" the wrecker exclaimed.

Putting his servos on his hips, "In the metal, now let's get you gotta here." the young mech addressed, releasing the wrecker from his restraints.

Rubbing his wrists, "Thanks kid, I really thought I was gonna start rusting down here." Jackie thanked.

"Save the thanks for later, now that you're free, we have a mission to complete." Smokescreen remarked.

Raising an optic ridge, "Let me guess, not only do we have to rescue Knightwave, but we blow this place in the process?" Jackie smirked.

"My orders were to disable Darkmount's defenses, so the military can take it down without the risk of friendly casualties." Smoke informed.

Waving his arms, "Whoa, what's up with the formal attitude?" the wrecker pointed out.

"My apologies… I'm just taking my mission seriously…"

"Alright, who showed up, and rammed an iron rod up your aft?" Jackie crossed his arms.

With a sigh, "Ultra Magnus…" Smoke uttered.

"Aww fraggin' pits… not that boy scout…" Wheeljack cursed, "And let me guess, he's calling all the shots now, ain't he?"

Slowly nodding, "Yeah… he's just that kind of bot…" Smoke implied.

"Great… now I'm itching to blow this place sky high, I can't stand mechs like him." Jackie rolled his optics, "So where do we begin?"

"You go sabotage the shield generators and the weapon systems, while I disable the Com-relays, and go find Knightwave." Smoke remarked.

With a two digit salute, "You got it chief." Jackie smirked before darting off down the hallway.

* * *

 _ **{Darkmount control center}**_

Megatron stood stoically, as he watched a monitor that had a LIVE video feed on Knightwave working on what seemed to be schematics. However, the Warlord didn't seemed all too convinced that bridging the traitorous seeker back aboard the Nemesis was a good idea. Nonetheless, Soundwave's argument seemed valid enough to justify his relocation.

Sneering, the gunmetal mech wondered when Knock-Out will report back from Cybertron, on his progress of collecting data to help Knightwave perfect his Omega Lock schematics. However, before he could activate his com-link, a massive explosion shook the very ground he stood on, nearly causing the hulking mech to topple over.

Unexpectedly, another explosion rocked the fortress, snapping a lot of the support beams, that crashed down onto multiple monitors.

"Lord Megatron!" an Eradicon shouted, running into the Control room, "We have reports that the prisoner has escaped, and detonated high explosives in the shield generator room!"

 ***BOOM***

Glaring with wide optics at another Eradicon, "What was that?!" Megatron growled.

"Lord Megatron, we have reports of the prisoner detonating high explosives in the main power room sir!" another Eradicon reported.

With a sneer the warlord pushed through his frightened pawns, and marched down the long halls of Darkmount, as the lights switched to emergency power. Sparks flew from the ceiling, along with bursts of steam, that flooded the hallways with a thick fog.

"Soundwave!" Megatron transmitted, "Explain how Wheeljack escaped his prison!" he sneered.

Stopping in his tracks, "WHAT!? How is that even remotely possible? Blasted Eradicons, their incompetence to even restrain an Autobot properly!" the warlord roared.

Scowling, "Soundwave, what's the probability of Darkmount being under attack-" once said the entire fortress began to rattle, as the sounds of multiple explosions shook the very fortress.

"Decepticons!" Megatron announced, "Take defensive maneuvers, Darkmount will not fall!" he ordered, rushing towards the very top of the fortress.

* * *

Once at the top of Darkmount, the Decepticon Leader to his horror spotted an entire fleet of attack helicopters, firing an entire payload of rockets at his fortress. Growling at the sight, Megatron never noticed the unknown mech sitting down on his massive throne, that was right behind him.

Turning around, "Soundwave, please inform Knightwave, that I'll be needing those schematics sooner rather than a week… You…" the warlord snarled, finally noticing the mech sitting in his throne, "That throne doesn't belong to you, traitor!" Megatron sneered.

"Neither does it belong to you, it belongs to no one."

Glaring into the mech's red optics, "You were once a proud warrior, now what are you Dreadwing?" Megatron growled.

Standing up from the throne, and pulling the Nexus from his back, "I'm your judge." Dreadwing remarked.

* * *

 **End of Chapter notes:**

 _This is when stuff starts to get mmmm good! Just letting ya'll know, I had fun with this chapter, and I cannot wait to actually finish the next! Ultra Magnus wasn't my favorite character in the Prime series, so I decided to mix in his MTMTE flare... well they both have a stick up their aft so I'm just gonna give him more of that kind of personality. ;)_

 _Other than that, I hope ya'll enjoyed this chapter and I cannot wait to finish chapter 29... BTW I am going to change the entire 3rd season, because I thought the original need more EXPLOSIONS... I'm going Micheal Bay! Not really..._ (o~o)

 **Thanks for reading!** _And I'll catch ya'll in the next chapter!_


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